Training Guidelines
• Always begin with a 5-10 minute cardio warm up or 5-10 minutes of dynamic stretching to warm up.
• Focus on “controlled” technique and full range of motion for first few weeks.
• Progress to faster “cadences” for each exercise. Your goal is to lift “explosively” but not at the expense of a “controlled rhythm.” You are not lifting slowly but you are not lift-ing recklessly with momentum.
• Increase the loads by pyramiding your weights heavier only when you have estab-lished and mastered your technique with a full range of motion and have found your personal “rhythm” for the best experience and intensity.
• To summarize, increase the intensity and experience of the workout with controlled technique, then greater range of motion, then increased speed of movements and then added resistance.
• Begin with the higher rep ranges and lighter weights and progress towards the lower rep ranges and heavier weights as the weeks roll. Don’t be afraid to listen to your instincts if your body is telling you to push some heavier weights and work in the lower rep ranges. If the “experience” of intensity begins to sacrifice then go right back into the higher rep ranges. Listen to your body and “keep the program alive.”
• Start on the lower end of the set recommendations and add one extra set each week and again, don’t be afraid to listen to your body if you feel you can accomplish an extra set ahead of schedule without sacrificing intensity. For complete beginners, it’s okay if you only start with one set of each exercise.
• Your goal is to start with a maximum of 90 second rest and work your way down to 30-45 second rest, between each set, for the entire workout. No matter what your fit-ness level is, even as you progress, you should be “sucking for air” throughout the entire workout. The only difference, as you progress, will be your ability to tolerate the oxygen debt better.
• To summarize, proper training progression is based on improving strength and condi-tioning. Your results will be reflected based on your ability to train with heavier loads in greater fatigued states.
• Progress is the name of the game. Start the workouts at a comfortable “pace” and focus on “getting into the hurt box” more and more each workout. As long as you’re get-ting faster, stronger and more conditioned each workout then your body will adapt and improve its work capacity.
• The 5 day program is ideal for anyone who has completed the 3 and 4 day program and anyone of any age who has trained more than four years seriously.
• Rotate the 5 workouts around three days on, one day off, two days on, repeat. • Always start with fewer sets, less speed, less weight, less combos and more rest and aim to complete the entire 5 day program at the max sets, max speed, max weights and all combos.
• Feel free to substitute an exercise for a similar one based on your equipment availabil-ity by using the Virtual Trainer.
• Don’t worry about how long this workout takes to complete. Record your start-to-finish time for each workout and make sure you are workouts are being completed quicker from week to week if you want to focus more on conditioning versus strength. If your goal is to focus on getting stronger then take longer rest periods and lengthen out the workout a bit.
• It is okay to move some of the combos around to “keep the program alive” and de-pending on the equipment availability in your gym.
• Stay on this program for 16 weeks or longer. This is almost the exact program I used year round and still get tremendous results.
• Drink at least 2 litres of water throughout each of these workouts.
Special Thanks: The 5 Day Overdrive program has been strongly inspired by perhaps
the worlds best fitness coach, Scott Abel, who I consider the smartest fitness coach on the planet and one of my mentors.
I would like to give credit to Scott for influencing the Active Recovery days (he calls them “unloading” days in his MET program) on Chest and Back day. I restructured the training days by putting Shoulders at the start of the week because I feel this is the most important muscle group (if I had to pick one) and Arm day on day 2 because it’s my lag-ging body part (as it is for most) so they get attention early on in the week while you’re fresh.
For more information on Scott’s Metabolic Enhancement Training, please visit http:// www.ScottAbel.com and check out his other incredible programs too. Once you max out the benefits of my 5 Day Overdrive program, Scott’s 5 Day MET program is your next challenge - he puts in a lot of unique and killer combos that I felt were too ad-vanced for this program and will be an excellent progression from my modified version
YOUR SIX PACK QUEST
5 Day Metabolic Overdrive Program
Day 1
Shoulders/Rotation
Combo #1 Sets Reps
1- Arm DB Snatches 4-5 4-6 or 6-8 or 8-10
Wood Chops (cables) 4 8-12 or 15-20
Combo #2
Seated DB Shoulder Press 4-5 4-6 or 6-8 or 8-10
DB Squat with Rotational Twist 4 8-12 or 15-20
Combo #3
Rear Delt Machine Flys 3-4 4-6 or 6-8 or 8-10
Chops (plate) 3-4 8-12 or 15-20
Combo #4
Seated DB Arnold Presses 3 4-6 or 6-8 or 8-10
Full Contact Twists 2-3 8-12 or 15-20
Combo #5
Squat with Side DB Lateral Raise 3 4-6 or 6-8 or 8-10
Combo #6
Barbell Shrugs 3-4 6-8 or 8-10 or 10-12
YOUR SIX PACK QUEST
5 Day Metabolic Overdrive Program
Day 2
Arms/Core
Combo #1 Sets Reps
Barbell Curl 4-5 4-6 or 6-8 or 8-10
Decline Tricep Extension 4-5 4-6 or 6-8 or 8-10
Incline or Hanging Hip Raise 4 8-12 or 12-20
Combo #2
DB Preacher Curl 4-5 4-6 or 6-8 or 8-10
Bench Dip (or Lever Pushdown) 4-5 4-6 or 6-8 or 8-10
Ab- Knee Ups 4 8-12 or 12-20
Combo #3
Incline DB Hammer Curl 3-4 4-6 or 6-8 or 8-10
Tricep Pushdown 3-4 4-6 or 6-8 or 8-10
Standing Cable Side Bend 3 8-12 or 12-20
Combo #4
Concentration Curls 3 4-6 or 6-8 or 8-10
DB Seated Overhead Tri Extension 3 4-6 or 6-8 or 8-10
YOUR SIX PACK QUEST
5 Day Metabolic Overdrive Program
Day 3
Legs
Combo #1 Sets Reps
45 Degree Leg Press 4-5 4-6 or 6-8 or 8-10
Supine Calf Raise 4-5 6-8 or 8-12
Combo #2
Single Leg Hack Squat 4-5 4-6 or 6-8 or 8-10
Standing Calf Raise 4-5 6-8 or 8-12
Combo #3
DB Bulgarian Split Squat 3-4 4-6 or 6-8 or 8-10
Single Leg RDL with DB 3-4 4-6 or 6-8 or 8-10
Combo #4
One Leg Box Step Up 3 4-6 or 6-8 or 8-10
Single Leg Leg Extension 3 4-6 or 6-8 or 8-10
Combo #5
One Leg Squat/Deadlift 3 4-6 or 6-8 or 8-10
YOUR SIX PACK QUEST
5 Day Metabolic Overdrive Program
Day 4
Chest (Active Recovery on Quads)
Combo #1 Sets Reps
Incline DB Chest Press (palms in) 4-5 4-6 or 6-8 or 8-10
BOSU Ball Bodyweight Squat 4-5 12-15 or 15-25
Combo #2
DB Chest Fly (palms forward) 4-5 4-6 or 6-8 or 8-10
Forward Lunge (cross over) 4-5 12-15 or 15-25
Combo #3
Machine Incline Chest Press 3-4 4-6 or 6-8 or 8-10 Forward Lunge (plus leg lift) 3-4 12-15 or 15-25
Combo #4
DB Bench Press 3 4-6 or 6-8 or 8-10
Stationary Lateral Lunges 3 12-15 or 15-25
Combo #6
Standing Cable Chest Fly 3 4-6 or 6-8 or 8-10
YOUR SIX PACK QUEST
5 Day Metabolic Overdrive Program
Day 5
Back (Active Recovery on Hips)
Combo #1 Sets Reps
V Bar Pulldowns 4-5 4-6 or 6-8 or 8-10
Single Leg Hip Extension 4-5 12-15 or 15-25
Combo #2
Rear Delt Machine Fly 4-5 4-6 or 6-8 or 8-10
One Leg Balance Squat 4-5 12-15 or 15-25
Combo #3
Seated Row 3-4 4-6 or 6-8 or 8-10
Lateral Leg Swings 3-4 12-15 or 15-25
Combo #4
T Bar Rows 3 4-6 or 6-8 or 8-10
Lateral Leg Swings (stability ball) 3 12-15 or 15-25
Combo #6
Free Motion Lat Pulldown 3 4-6 or 6-8 or 8-10
