Stormtrooper: Training - Cardio & Weights

The Weight Workout

Alternate between weight workout A and weight workout B, 3 days a week, resting at least a day between sessions.

Perform each pair of exercises as alternating sets. That is, do one set of the first exercise, rest for the prescribed amount of time, then do one set of the second exercise, and rest again. Repeat until you've performed all the recommended sets.

Note that the sets, repetitions, and amount you rest between sets change from week to week.

Workout A

1. Split Squat

Rest a barbell on your trapezoids and stand with one foot 2 and a half to 3 feet in fron of the other, each in line with its corresponding buttock. Keep your upper body erect as you descend until the top of your front thigh is parallel to the ground. Pause, then press back up to the starting position.

+ barbell lunge

2. Romanian Deadlift

Stand holding a dumbbell in each hand (palms facing your thighs). Keeping your knees slightly bent and your back naturally arched, push your hips back and lower the weights until they’re just below your knees. Then push yourself back up.

+ standing dumbbell press

3. Dumbbell Bench Press

Grab a pair of dumbbells and lie on your back on a bench or Swiss ball. Hold the dumbbells at arm's length above your chest. (If you don't have a bench or Swiss ball, do the exercise lying on the floor.) Lower the dumbbells to your chest, then press the weights back up. (Without a bench or Swiss ball: Lower the dumbbells until your upper arms touch the floor. Then press the weights back to the starting position.)

+ chinup

Workout B

1. Front Squat

Grab a pair of dumbbells so that your palms are facing each other and rest the ends on the meatiest part of your shoulders (not your collarbone). Your upper arms should be parallel to the floor. Slowly lower your body as if you were sitting back into a chair, keeping your back in its natural alignment and your lower legs nearly perpendicular to the floor. When your upper thighs are parallel to the floor, pause, and then return to the starting position.but having the weight closer to the floor makes it easier to balance throughout the lift.

+ close-grip chinup

2. Dumbbell Stepup

Holding a pair of dumbbells at your side, stand facing a step or bench. Place one foot on step and push down through your heel to lift your other leg up to the step. Return to the starting position and finish a set of 12 to 15 reps with one leg before switching legs and repeating the exercise.

Barbell Bench Press

Keep doing pushups in week 2, but add this. Do three sets of 12 repetitions to improve chest strength. Lie back on a bench with your feet flat on the floor. Remove the bar from the uprights using an overhand grip (palms facing away from you), your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Slowly lower the bar to your chest, just below the nipples. Pause, then press the weight back up until your arms are straight again.

3. Standing Barbell Shoulder Press

Grab a barbell with a shoulder-width, overhand grip. Stand holding the barbell in front of you at shoulder level, your feet shoulder-width apart and knees slightly bent. Push the weight straight overhead, leaning your head back slightly but keeping your torso upright. Pause, then slowly lower the bar to the starting position.

+ dumbbell face pull

Week	Sets	Reps	Rest
1	2	15	75
2	2	15	60
3	3	12	75
4	3	12	60

The Interval Workout

Alternate between interval workout A and interval workout B, 2 days a week, on the days between your weight workouts.

To perform the intervals, run or cycle at the fastest pace you can maintain for the duration of the sprint time. Then slow down to a pace that's about 30 percent of your full effort for the "recovery time."

Repeat until you've completed all the prescribed intervals for each workout.

Workout A