“Within the mobility section, the exercises chosen are effective at mobilising the areas of the body that most men are tight in – owing largely to sitting down at work,” says Gymbox PT Ben Foulis, “while the main full-body section features three bang-for-buck movements for strength and muscle development.
“Moving on, every effective training programme should include some form of carry. Having a strong grip will have significant benefits to the rest of your training – so aim for one carry exercise at least once a week.
“And the rower? Well, if you’ve ever had the pleasure of experiencing this devilish piece of kit when working at maximum capacity, you’ll know just how taxing it can be. The same goes for the overhead ball slams, which will not only send your heart rate through the roof, but also develop explosive power and back strength.”
MOBILITY BLOCK
1a. Band Rear Delt Flye
Reps: 10-12
Rest: Straight into 1b
- Loop the band (or tube) around a fixed object at shoulder height.
- Keep your arms straight/locked throughout the movement.
- Raise your arms so they’re level with your shoulders. This is the start position.
- Engage your rear deltoids and initiate the movement from here.
- Push the handles wide, gradually retract your scapulas and keep pushing all the way back until your arms are directly out to the side of your body.
- Pause for a count of 2, then slowly return to the start.
1b. Spiderman Stretch Reach-Up
Reps: 10-12
Rest: Straight into 1c
- Assume a full press-up position: shoulders stacked above wrists, core engaged.
- Keeping your hips level, take the right foot and plant it to the outside of your right hand.
- Drive your knee out over your middle toe and push your hips down towards the floor.
- Keeping your hips level, rotating from the spine take the right hand and reach up towards the ceiling.
- Pause for a count of 2, then return to the start and change sides.
1c. 90-90 Rotation
Reps: 10-12
Rest: 60 secs
Sets: 1-2
- Sit with your feet flat on the floor, knees tucked towards your chest.
- Keeping your feet in contact with the floor (let them roll on to the inside of left, outside of right), rotate your torso 90 degrees to the right and let your knees fall to the floor, creating 90-degree angles at the knee joints.
- Keeping the spine neutral, lean slightly over the lead right leg for a count of 2-3.
- Rotate to the centre, then repeat to the left.
FULL-BODY BLOCK
2. Barbell Back Squat
Reps: 5-8
Rest: 2-3 mins
Sets: 3-6
- Set up with the bar positioned across your upper back.
- Keep your chest up, and tense your abs and glutes.
- Push your hips back to sit into a squat, keeping the weight on your heels.
- Drive back up by squeezing your glutes (don’t over-rely on your quads).
3. BB Bench Press
Reps: 5-8
Rest: 2-3 mins
Sets: 3-6
- Lie flat on a bench, and grip the barbell with hands roughly shoulder-width apart.
- Keep your head, shoulders and upper back supported by the bench, your core braced and your feet flat on the floor.
- Lower the bar slowly to your chest, then push back up powerfully to return to the start, taking care not to lock your elbows at the top of the move.
4. BB Hip Thrust
Reps: 5-8
Rest: 2-3 mins
Sets: 3-6
- Lie with your upper back supported on a bench, holding a barbell across your thighs.
- Thrust your hips up, squeeze and hold your glutes at the top, then lower back to the start.
CONDITIONING BLOCK (15-MIN AMRAP)
5a. Kettlebell Farmer’s Walk
Distance: 30m
Rest: Straight into 5b
- Simple: grab two heavy kettlebells and walk for 30m.
- If you don’t have a straight track at your gym, walk back and forth over a shorter distance, drop the kettlebells at one end, turn around and pick them straight back up until you’ve completed the requisite distance.
5b. Row
Calories: 20
Rest: Straight into 5c
- The main focus on the rower is to drive with your legs, not your arms.
- Keep straight arms and a straight back, and lean forward from your hips rather than your shoulders.
- The arm pull should be the very final part of the driving movement – most of the power comes from your lower body.
5c. Overhead Ball Slam
Reps: 10
Rest: Minimal, then repeat the circuit
- With the med ball between your feet, do a deep squat to grab the ball from the ground.
- Stand all the way up onto your toes while stretching the ball up over your head.
- Explosively drive your hips back while simultaneously dragging the ball down and smashing it into the floor, just in front of you.
Gymbox has gyms across London, including Bank, Covent Garden, Victoria, Elephant & Castle, Farringdon, Old Street and Westfield. Find out more at gymbox.com
