Old Navy’s Quest

Widow-Maker Power Workout … A Four-Week Plan

The purpose of this plan, devised by Coach Sean “Sully Sullivan of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, is to grow lean, hard muscle mass by lifting heavy for several sets with little rest in between, using the same weight load and then doing a Widow-Maker set of many reps for the same exercise. Here is the Plan:

Keep the same weight for all 6 sets, but you may lose a rep or two at the end. For example set 1 - 4 you get the 6 reps, set 5, 5 reps and the last set 4. Pick a good weight and don’t lower it even if it means 2-3 reps total on the last set.

On the high rep sets don’t just do them light and go through the motions, go heavy and hard. For example on the 50 reps of squats pick a weight you can only get 20-30 reps with and then just take 2-3 deep breaths and bang out 4-6 more reps, breath and do more until you get the reps in. This is the Widow Maker set!

The rest between sets is 60-seconds and do a few warm-up sets before you begin the exercise

Stretch or Pose the working muscle between sets for 20-30 seconds.

Day 1:
Incline Bench Dumbbell Press … 6 x 6, 1 X 20
Flat Bench Dumbbell Press … 6 x 6, 1 X 20
High Pulls (wide grip upright row, but you pull to the forehead) … 4 x 4
Heavy Laterals … 3 x 8
Press Down … 4 x 10
Decline Dumbbell Extensions - 4 X 8

Day 2:
Leg Press … 6 x 6, 1 X 40
Squats … 6 x 6, 1 X 30
Hack Squat … 6 x 6, 1 X 20
Leg Curls… 5 x 8
Leg Extensions … 4 x 10

Day 3:
Reverse Grip Barbell Row … 6 x 6, 1 X 20
Medium Grip Pull Down … 6 x 6, 1 X 20
Dead Lifts … 6 x 6, 1 X 30
Barbell Curls … 4 x 6
Preacher Curls … 4 x 10

Day 4:
Lunges - 6 X 6, 1 X 20
Seated Leg Curls - 6 x 6
Wide stance Squats (feet out wide, toes pointed out) - 6 X 6, 1 X 50
Dumbbell Stiff Leg Dead Lifts - 6 X 6
Step Ups (Step up, one leg at a time, on a high bench or aerobic step) 6 X 6

Calves and Abs work is done twice a week. Pick one exercise and do 5-6 sets of as many reps as you can do for each.

Do Cardio on off days from weights, 20 minutes of HITT or intervals.
Do 5 min warm-up and 5 minute cool down so total time is 30 min with 20 being interval or HITT.

Monday, December 11, 2006

Bruce and I did Day 1 today and we survived. Barely. Bruce’s body weight is 203 pounds, mine is 155.

Day 1:

Incline Bench Dumbbell Press … 6 x 6, 1 X 20

I did 45’s; Bruce did 55’s for the 6 x 6
I did 35’s; Bruce did 45’s for the 1 x 2

Flat Bench Dumbbell Press … 6 x 6, 1 X 20

I did 55’s; Bruce did 65’s for the 6 x 6
I did 45’s; Bruce did 55’s for the 1 x 20

High Pulls (wide grip upright row, but you pull to the forehead) … 4 x 4

Bruce and I each did 4 sets of 4 reps, slowly with a squeeze, using 40 pounds

Heavy Laterals … 3 x 8

I did 25’s; Bruce did 30’s

Press Down … 4 x 10

Bruce and I each did 4 sets of 10 reps, slowly with a squeeze, using 65 pounds

Decline Dumbbell Extensions - 4 X 8

I did 30’s; Bruce did 20’s (my triceps are stronger for now)

We ended our first session with 3 sets of 10 reps pull-ups and 2 sets of 25 reps hanging leg raises and a moderate stint on the treadmill.

It took us 60 minutes to complete the Widow Maker portion of the workout and another ½ hour to do pull ups, abs and cardio.

We charted our weights for the Widow Maker so we can see where we need to start each time. We were both pumped and beat after this workout. Love it!