TableofContents

PART1:-OVERVIEW

IntroductionHowDidIGetHere?

MakingtheInvestmentAbouttheBook

WhyBodyweightExercises?GetRippedWhileHavingFun:Games&Cardio

TheMusclesbehindtheMovementsMoversCore

FrequentlyAskedQuestionsBalancedNutritionBeforeYouBegin

WarmingUp&StretchingAvoidingInjuriesListentoYourBody

HowtoUseThisBookFindYourLevelUsingthe“Power4”ExercisesIncorporatingGames&Cardio

“Power4”TestPull-UpSquatPush-UpPlankDeterminingYourLevel

ShareYourSuccessPARTII:-THEPROGRAM

7WeekstoGettingRippedProgramReadingtheCharts

LevelILevelITest

LevelIILevelIITest

PARTIII:-EXERCISES

StandardPush-UpDiamondPush-UpWidePush-UpMedicineBallPush-UpTPush-UpPull-UpCommandoPull-UpPlankSidePlankIn&OutFlutterKickMasonTwistV-SitReverseCrunchHangingLegRaiseLegClimberBicycleCrunchSupermanSquatSquatwithMedicineBall

WallSitForwardLungeLungewithTwistMarchingTwistMountainClimbersBurpeeInchwormWoodChopJ-Up

APPENDIX

ThisbookisdedicatedtoDeanKarnazes,TimothyFerrissandSteveJobs,threemenwho’veinspiredmeandchangedmylifeinmanyways.ThefirsttwoIhavepersonallythankedfortheirinfluence;thelastoneIunfortunatelywillnevergetthechance

tothank.

ToViviandIan,Iloveyouandamextremelyproudofwhoyou

areandamveryluckytobeyourdad.

PART1:

OVERVIEW

Introduction

“Jacked,” “buff,” “built,” “cut,” “shredded” and“ripped.”Theseareallslangforbeinginshape—reallyin shape—thephysique thatguysandgalsalikewanttoattain.Watchanycommercialforweight-losspillsorcrazy fitness contraptions and you’ll see some dudewith six-pack abs, bulging arms and a chiseled chestposingnexttoababewithamazinglegs,aflattummyandalltherightassets.Theysmileatthecameraandtellyouthatit’sfast,funandeasytogetrippedinjustweeks with some incredible diet pill or theBellyRipper2000. You know they’re pulling your leg,right?Usually,thesemodelshaveneverevenseentheproductthey’repitchingbeforethevideoshoot.

So,whodoyoubelieve?Shouldyou trust thecompanies thatspend hundreds of thousands of dollars on infomercials?Shouldyouputallyourfaithinamiraclefat-burningpill?Areyouonlygoing toget results if youpayhundredsofdollarsamonthtoapersonaltrainer?You know the real answer—it’s been there all along and is

even easier than you think. Trust your body. Get active, eathealthyandgetripped—that’sit.To most people, building a workout routine is a mystery.

Shouldyoudoheavyweightsandlowrepsorlightweightsandhigh reps? Should you work in supersets or target muscles?Upperbodyor lowerbody?Kettlebells, sprints, squats, stairs,pyramids,yaddayaddayadda.There aremoreways towork out than you can count, and

theyallhavetheirbenefits.Ifyoupickupanyfitnessmagazineyou’lllearnaboutdifferent“mustdo”exercisesthatsometimes

conflictwithother routines in that same issue!Howonearthcanyoumakesenseoftheinformationoverloadanddevelopanefficientwaytoget therippedresultsyouwant?Sinceyou’rereadingthis,younolongerhaveto.

Here’s some good news: You can get ripped in as little asseven weeks by following a simple program of easy-to-dobodyweightexercisesandequallysimplenutritionalguidelines.The even better news is that you don’t need any expensivegadgets,agymmembershiporevenapersonaltrainer.You’reholdinginyourhandsabookdevotedtotakingthemysteryoutofgetting rippedandshowingyoustepby stephow toattainthebodyyouwant.Here’s the show-stopping news:

contains “the perfect exercise.” That’s right, the holy grail ofanybodyweightroutine—onesingularexercisethatconditionsalmost every muscle in your body and shreds your physique

likenothingyou’veeverdonebefore.It’snotforthemeek,butI can guarantee youwon’t find it anywhere else, becauseweinventedit.ThatexerciseiscalledtheJ-Upandit’shidingoutonpage107.(Goaheadandlook,I’llholdyourplacehereuntilyougetback.)The rule of thumb for any lifestyle modification is that it

takesanywherefrom7to14daystocreateanewroutine,andthisbookwillmake it aseasyaspossible toget started—andsucceed. Your success depends on building a sustainableroutine that’s familiar, comfortable and repeatable. Workingout ishardenoughwithouthaving togetupearly todrive tothe gym, remember how to use complicated machines andfigure out your daily workout (not to mention locating yourmembershipcard!).Youcangetanincrediblefull-bodyworkoutright in the comfort of your home, saving yourself precioustimeandgasbynottravelingtothegym.Youdon’tevenneedanexpensiverackofdumbbells,barsorhow-toDVDs—allyouneedisyourbody(youhaveoneofthose,right?),apull-upbar,andmaybeaballortwo.We’llgettothoselaterinthegames.DidImentionGAMES?Absolutely.Whosaidfitnesscouldn’t

befun?Heck,fitnessshouldbefun,otherwiseit’sjustareasonto get tired, sore and sweaty. That’s not theway to create asustainable routine for success and, frankly, it’s just not thatenjoyable. Don’t get me wrong, I like working out (ormarathons, triathlons and stuff like that) but if you can havefunandgetfitatthesametime,whywouldn’tyou?

HowDidIGetHere?

I’mthefatkidingymclasswhocan’tdoasinglepull-up. I’m the 30-year-old overweight smoker who getswindedwalking up a flight of stairs. I’m an Ironmanfinisher,ultra-marathoner,fitnessauthorandmodel.

Iknowwhatitfeelsliketobepickedlastinsports,getlaughedatbyclassmates(andmyP.E.teacher)duringthePresidentialFitness Test and be complacent about being overweight andunhappy with my appearance. To this day I can vividlyremember P.E. in elementary school and my classmate Francompletingcountlesspull-ups,orplayingbasketballwithRickandbeingoutofbreathafteronlyafewminutes.I loathed being out of shape and how it held me back in

sports,andIenviedallmyfriendswhowereingreatshape.Bymymid-20sIhadresignedmyselftothefactthatI’dneverbefitlikethem—andevenliedtomyselfthattheyweregeneticallygiftedandIwasn’t.The simple truth is I was lazy and neverwilling to put the

effortintobeingfit.Itwasmucheasiertomakeexcusesthanitwastoputintheworktogetcontrolofmydietandgetinsomestructuredexercise.Butmore importantly—Ididn’tknowhowto get fit. I avoided gyms because I was embarrassed bymyphysique, and I didn’t have the support structure of reallyactive friends to get me on the right track and keep memotivated.Thatallchangedintheearly2000swhenImetthethreepeoplewhowouldchangemylife.This book isn’t a love story, so I’ll spare you the details on

meeting my wife—but she plays many important roles in mytransformation. First off, she detested smoking, so cigaretteswereimmediatelyathingofthepast.Wemetplayingsoftball,

and shewas very active, fiery and competitive. It didn’t takelong for her to inspire those same characteristics in me.Instead of complaining about not being fit, I got competitivewith myself and made it my priority to get in shape.Unfortunately, Istilldidn’tknowwhatIwasdoing.Myfitnessandweightyo-yoedforthenextcoupleofyearsandtoppedoutatabout50poundsoverweightatmywedding.My wedding pictures were a wake-up call, and before my

honeymoonwasevenover, Ihadmadeapromisetomyself toget lean, fit and ripped—and I had just the friends to do it. Istarted playing basketball every weekday morning for twohourswithJason(who’sabout6”tallerthanme,soIneededtoget faster if I ever hoped to make a basket). Three times aweekwe’dpickaworkoutandheadoutsideat lunchtime.Wewere just guys ripping articles out of health magazines andgivingitashot.AuthorBrettStewart’sweddingpicturesmotivatedhimtogetinshape.

Our workouts got a real upgrade when we met Mike, acertifiedpersonaltrainerwhoknewhowtogetthemostoutofyourbodyduringeveryworkout.Mikepushedustonewlimitsoffitnesswhilehelpingusrefineourdailyworkouts.Overthelast few years,we started creating different fitness games tocompete with each other and keep our workouts fresh—everythingfromsprintingafterabouncingfootballonafieldtotossingmedicineballsasfaraswecould.Fitnesscanreallybefunifyouturnitintoagameandshareitwithyourfriends.JasonandMikeare contributors to thisbookaswell asmy

other book, . They’re the motivatingforcebehindcreating theprograms forbothbooksaswell asbeingthetestsubjectsandagreatsourceofsupport.So,hereIam:40yearsoldandinthebestshapeofmylife.

Over the last six years I’ve completed over 50 triathlons andevenmadeittothepodiumatimeortwo.I’vegonefrombarelyabletorunamiletocompletingseveralmarathonsandultra-marathons.I’minthebestshapeofmylifeandit’sallbecause

Imadefitnessandbalancednutritionprioritiesinmylife—andthisbookcanhelpyoudoexactlythesamething.

MakingtheInvestment

AfewyearsagoIjoinedanewrunninggroup.DuringmyfirstexcursionwiththemIfoundmyselfrunningnexttoaguyquitea few years older than me. We made some small talk as wepickedupthepace,andaswepassedsomegorgeoushomesheaskedmeastrangequestion:“Whichpropertyonthisstreetdoyouthinkisthemostexpensive?”I looked around for a little bit and admitted I had no idea;

real estate wasn’t something I know a lot about and all thehouseswerewayoutofmypricerange.Sohetriedagain:“Ifyoucouldinvestinanypropertyonthis

road right now,which do you thinkwould give you themostlong-termbenefit?”AtthispointIthoughthewasalittlenuts,soIjustrandomly

pickedahouseandsaid,“Iguessthatoneoverthere.”We rana fewmoreminutes and Iwas starting togetquite

tired at the rapid pace we were running while his legs stillseemedfresh.Hesloweddownalittlebitandgotrightupnexttomeandpointedatmychest:“Thatpropertyrightthere,”hesaid. “You’ll spendmoremoneyon thatbody thananyhouse,carorvacation—investproperly,becauseit’stheonlyoneyou’lleverget.”Andthenthe“oldguy”leftmeinhisdust.If you invest in your body, it’ll pay you back for years to

come.

AbouttheBook

Getting ripped in seven weeks is within your reach,and it’ll takebalancednutritionandfocusedeffortonyour form in eachof the exercises of theprogressiveroutinestoachieveyourgoals.Onceyou’vetakentheinitial tests toassessyour fitness level, thisbookwillguideyouthroughaseven-weekprogramthat’ssuretohelp you lose weight, gain strength and muscledefinition, and get ripped. If you have the will tosucceedandthedeterminationtocommitthetimeandeffort,you’llbeamazedbytheresults.

PARTIintroducestheprogram,describeshowthemovesworktogether to build a ripped physique and presents frequentlyasked questions, as well as tips and tricks and a primer onbalancednutrition.PARTIIcontainstwodifferentworkoutroutines. isa

three-week program for intermediate-level athletes tostrengthen and reshape their bodies by building leanmuscleandburningfat. isahigh-octanefour-weekprogramforadvanced-level athletes to push their limits while building asuper-strongcoreanddevelopingtotal-bodyfitness.PART III provides step-by-step instruction for all the

exercises featured in the program, including theaforementioned“perfectexercise”—theJ-Up.THEAPPENDIX contains the Prep-level program, a three-

week primer that’ll teach you proper form for all the basicmoves and build your confidence—and your body—while youprepare for the three- and four-week programs thatmake upthecomplete .Theappendix isalsowhere you’ll find warm-up and stretching ideas, as well as

fitnessgames.Whilethisbookisaneffectivewaytogetinto“bikinishape”

ortoripupbeforeavacationorwedding,thereasoningbehindthe program is to make fitness a part of your life throughactivityandbalancednutrition.Onceyoumakethechangeandinvest in your fitness, you’ll seethe payback on every level—moreenergy,strength,stamina.You’lllookfantastic,too!Afteryou’ve completed the program, you can continue to use thisbooktoeitherpushyourselfhardertoreachnewgoalsorusethe exercises, games and cardio elements to create newroutinestomaintainyourfitnesslevelandphysique.Checkout“Maintaining Your Ripped Physique” on page 114 for moregreatideas.

WhyBodyweightExercises?

Thisisareallysimpleanswer:becausetheywork.Yourbodyisthe only gym you should ever need. Sure, some gyms haveamazingamenities—butyoucan’ttake’emwithyou.YourbodyisalotmoreportablethanaSmithmachine,isn’tit?Throughbalance,stabilityandmobility,bodyweightexercises

alsostrengthenyou inwaysthatnogymequipmentevercan.Inordertobe“fit,”youneedtobeabletoincorporateallthemuscles inyourbodywhenyousquat, twist,reachor jumpinsports or everyday life. Strengthening your body by actuallyusingyourownbodyweightisnaturalandinvolvesstimulatingmuscles through a normal range of motion. Lying flat on abench or sittingwhile you pull a bar down are absolutely nomatchforthefull-bodystrengthgainsandrippedphysiqueyoucangetfromdoingbodyweightexerciseswithproperform.Most importantly, using your own bodyweight to get fit is

simple, repeatable and always available. It’s much easier tosneak ina fewsetsofbodyweightexercises than it is topackupanddrivetothegym!Themoreconvenientaworkoutis,the

moreaptyouare tocomplete it.Throw insomefunandyourworkouts are downright enjoyable. At the end of the day, theinvestmentoftimethatyouputintobodyweightexercisesissomuch less thanagym-basedworkout routineand it’sactuallymoreeffectiveatdevelopingtotal-bodyfitness.Oh,andbetteryet,it’sfree.

GetRippedWhileHavingFun:Games&Cardio

When combined with core-shredding games/activities andbalancednutrition,the programwillhelp develop a lean, ripped body. Games and cardio are anintegral part of getting ripped—medicine ball tosses andsprintsareanamazingwaytoburnfatandgetfitfast.

TheHotCornergame(page134) isevenbetterthanabootcamp workout because you can do it yourself whenever youwant. The most important part about the games and cardioexercisesisthattheymaketheworkoutsmoreinterestingandfun.Weallknowthat ifsomethingisexciting,we’remoreaptto stick with it, right? The games are also a great way tochallenge yourself and your friends; the more support youhave,thefewerexcusesyouhavetoskipaworkout.

RIPPED TIP: The easiest and most effective coreexerciseyoucandoistogooutsideandgetactive.Anyrunning, jumping, twisting and lifting will work yourcoreandmakeyourwholebodystrongerandmorefit.The simple truth is every exercise in this book has apositive effect on your core, but in order to developthose sexy rectus abdominis muscles—wait, thatdoesn’tsoundsexyatall...howdoes“six-pack”sound?—you need to isolate and work them. (Truthfully,though, there are four abmuscle pairs for a possibleeight-pack.)

TheMusclesbehindtheMovements

Theprogramsandgamesinwillwork allmajormuscle groups andmost ancillarymuscles in your body, but instead of covering all 640muscles,we’llbreakthebodydownintotwosections:“movers”and“core.”

Moversareanymusclewhoseprimemovementistopush,pullorrotateanypartofyourbodyasidefromyourcore.Thecoreisthefoundationthatallowsthemoverstodotheirthingandhandlestwistingandcrunching.Thestrongeryourcoreis,themoreeffective, efficientandenduringall yourmovermuscleswill be. Building your core strength is the key to total-bodyfitnessandabsolutelyimperativewhendevelopingafit,rippedphysique.Throughout the book, we’ll focus on exercises that use at

leastonefromeachgroup.Mostwilluseboth,andatleastoneexercisewillusealloftheabove.Seriously,it’lluseallofthem.

Movers

PECTORALISMAJOR This pair of thick, fan-shapedmusclesmakesupthebulkofthemusclemassinthechest.The“pecs”areresponsibleforrotating,flexingandbringinginbotharmsfor actions such as throwing a ball, lifting a child, orperformingjumpingjacksorpush-ups.TRICEPSBRACHII The largemuscle locatedon thebackof

the upper arm, the triceps brachii (commonly referred to as“triceps”)isresponsibleforstraighteningthearm.Thetricepsmakesupover50percentoftheupperarm’smuscularmass.DELTOIDThisheart-shapedmusclegroupismadeupofthreedifferentfibers(front,middleandrear).Whileeachfibertypehasaspecific function, the“delts”asawholeareresponsibleforraisingandstabilizingthearmsduringrotation.BICEPSBRACHIIOneoftheassistingmusclesduringapull-up, the biceps brachii (commonly referred to as “biceps”) isresponsibleforforearmrotationandelbowflexion.It’slocatedon the front of the upper arm. Chin-ups are moreeffective at targeting the biceps than pull-ups are due to thesupinatedgrip.TRAPEZIUS Another prime mover, the trapezius (commonlyreferred to as “traps”) is a large, superficial muscle locatedbetween thebaseof the skull and themid-back,and laterallybetween both shoulders. Its primary function is to move thescapulae(shoulderblades)andsupportthearm.LATISSIMUSDORSIThelatissimusdorsi(meaning“broadestmuscleintheback”)isresponsibleformovingthearmtowardthecenterofthebody(adduction),internallyrotatingthearmattheshouldertowardthecenterofthebody(medialrotation),andmoving thearmstraightbackbehind thebody (posteriorshoulderextension).Italsoplaysasynergisticroleinextendingand bending to either side (lateral flexion) the lumbar spine.Thispairofmusclesiscommonlyreferredtoasthe“lats.”FOREARM FLEXORS/ EXTENSORS The structure betweenthe elbow andwrist contains a number ofmuscles, includingthe flexors and extensors of the digits, brachioradialis (whichflexestheelbow),pronators(whichturnthepalmof thehand

downward) and supinator (which turns the palm of the handupward).Thesemusclesallowyoutogripthebarduringapull-up.

MAJORMUSCLES

GLUTEUSMAXIMUS Thismusclemakes up themajority ofthe buttocks and is responsible for maintaining an erectposture,raisingfromasquatpositionandperformingmostlegmotions,suchasadductionandrotation.

QUADRICEPS The quadriceps is a largemuscle groupmadeupoffourmusclesonthefrontofthethigh.It’sthestrongest,leanestmusclemassonthebody.The“quads”areresponsiblefor straightening the knee joint and are crucial in walking,running,squattingandjumping.HAMSTRINGS The hamstrings, located on the back of thethigh, are made up of four muscles responsible for kneebending and hip straightening. The hamstrings work asantagonists to thequadriceps to enablewalking, runningandjumping,aswellasmaintainingstabilityinthehipandknee.CALVES The triceps surae, or “calves,” is made up of thegastrocnemiusandsoleusmuscles.ThesemusclesattachtotheAchilles tendonandareresponsible foranklerotation, flexionand stabilization, and are crucial for walking, running andjumping.

Core

Thistermreferstotheareaofthetorsocomposedoftherectusabdominis(the“six-pack”portionoftheabdominals),obliques,transversusabdominisanderectorspinae.Full-bodyfunctionalmovements traditionally originate from this area of the body,and itprovidesstabilizationduringprettymucheveryactivityyourbodyperformsonadailybasis, fromexercises includingthe pull-up to maintaining proper posture when standing orsitting.Astrongcoreisessentialtoproperfitness;yourbody’sstrengthneedsasolidbasetoworkfrom.

5-SECONDABS

To work your core in the car, the office, in a dentist’schair and everywhere in between, practice flexing yourrectusabdominislikeyou’reabouttogetpunchedinthegut. Breathe out and hold each contraction for 3–5seconds for asmany reps as you can—until your dentalhygienist starts wondering what the heck you’re doing.Doing this quick isometric exercise can keep your bodyworking to shred your core in between workouts. It’ssimple and you don’t even have to change into yourstinkygymclothes.

FrequentlyAskedQuestions

Q.Isitpossibletojustworkoffmylovehandles?A. Yes, but the answer might be different than youthink.Thesecrettolosingyourlovehandlesistotrainyour entire body using bodyweight exercises. Wantripped abs? Train your arms, back, shoulders andlegs…andyourabswillreapthebenefits.

Q.Can’tIjustdocrunchestoripmyabs?A.Youcandocrunchesalldaylongandstillnothavearippedcore.Period.Unlessyouworkyourentirebodytogetlean,youjustwon’tbeabletoshowoffyoursix-pack.Q. Iwas always told to stretch first, but lately I’ve read thatyou shouldn’t stretch yourmuscles when you’re cold.What’sthedeal?A.Researchandstudiesoverthelastfewyearshavereinforcedthereasoningthatyoushouldwarmupbeforeyouexerciseandthenstretchafteryou’vecompletedyourworkout.Readmoreaboutwarmingupandstretchingonpage30.Q. Isn’t it true that bodyweight exercises don’t make yourmusclesasbigasgym-basedexercises?A.Ifyouwanttobuildthebiggestchestpossiblebyloadingupa bar and doing reps of bench press over and over, this is

probablythewrongbookforyou.Butremember,youcanbuildhugearms,pecsandlegsandstillbeunfit—unabletoperformwellat thecomplexmotionsnecessary formost sports.Usingbodyweightexercises,you’llbuildyourentirebodyandtheendresultwillbeastronger,fasterandfitterversionofyou.You’llalsobeamazedathowmuchbiggermuscleslookwhenyou’reripped.Q.CanIdoafull-bodyworkouteveryday?A.No,yourbodyneedstimetorestandrecover.Whenyoudostrength-training exercises such as pull-ups, you create tiny,harmlesstearsinthemuscle.Thesetinytearshealduringrestdays. As a result, the muscle becomes stronger and moredefined.Ifyoudon’tallowthemusclestoheal,youriskoveruseinjuriesthatcouldpotentiallyderailyourabilitytoexerciseatall.Constantrepetitionsofanymotionwithoutproperrestwilleventually result in overuse injuries. Repeat this sentence:“Restisequallyasimportantastheworkoutforstrengtheningandshreddingyourbody.”Now,makesureyoufollowyourownadvice.Q.What if I can’t do all the reps in the program for a givenworkout?A. The reps are a guideline and a goal for each workout—they’renotthelaw.Icanpromiseyouthatnoonewillshowupatyourdoortogiveyouaticketformissingthelasttworepsofpull-ups.Doasmanyrepsasyoucanwithgoodformandwhenyou reach failure, your body is signaling that you’re done. Ifyoustillfeellikeyouhavesomefuelleftinthetank,thentakeabreakfor1–2minutesandtrytofinishofftheset.Ifyoufeelanypain, sorenessordizziness, then it’s time tocall it aday.Never feel ashamed that you didn’t complete every rep of aworkout—stay positive and come back strong after a day ofrest.

If you missed more than 30 percent of the reps, I suggest

starting over the same workout after you’ve rested andrecovered.Feelfreetoprogressonwardif it’s justoneortworeps, but be honestwith yourself if you find yourselfmissingrepseveryworkout—performtheexerciseswithinyourabilityandyou’llgetstrongerandeventuallybeabletocompletethefullworkout.Q.HowfastshouldIdothemovements?A. Some exercises will have specific speeds during certainworkouts, but as a rule of thumbyou should try to stick to a“medium” speed. Listen to your body; you’ll knowwhat’s toofast or too slow with a little bit of experience. If you’re justlearning the movements, take it as slowly as you need tomaintainproperform.AfewexerciseslikesprintsandTabataswillrequire90percenteffortandspeed,butwe’llgettothosewhenwecovertheprogram.Q.HowshouldIbreatheforeachmovement?A.Formostexerciseswe’llcoverwhentobreathe inandout,butoverallit’sagoodideatobreatheoutwhenyou’reexertingthemost force (pushing, pulling, etc.) and breathe in on therecovery. Breathing properly is a big part of being able toperformsomeof therapidmovementswe’llbecoveringon inthisbook,somakesuretofocusonbreathingrhythmicallyandnotholdingyourbreathduringsets.Q.Iwasabletofollowtheprogramverywellearlyonbutamnowhavingtroubledoingtherequiredreps.What’sgoingon?A.Initially,yourbodygoesthroughanumberofchangeswhen

youstartanewprogram.Yourbodywillsoonbegintoadapttotheworkouts;you’llnoticeaplateauonceyoubecomeusedtodoinganyexercise.Thisprogramhasbeencarefullydesignedtoavoidthisplateaueffectbychangingtheduration,intensityandworkoutroutineoversevenweeks.Followtheprogramasbest you can. In the unlikely event you do hit a plateau,continue to follow the plan and eventually there’ll be enoughchange toget youover thehump.Remember, don’t overdo itandbesuretotakethenecessaryrestbetweenworkouts.Q.ShouldIbesoreaftereveryworkout?A.Sorenessmaybenormalifyou’reabeginner,haverecentlychangedupyourroutineoraretryinganewactivity.Theinitialsoreness should lessen overtime; it’s not normal to be soreaftereveryworkout.Ifyoucontinuetobesore,youmayneedtotakemoredaysoffbetweenworkouts.Q.Willfull-bodystrengthtrainingmakewomenbulkup?A. The bodyweight exercises in this book were selectedspecifically for men and women to develop lean, shreddedbodies. Typically, women don’t have the kind of hormonesnecessary to build huge, bulky muscles. Full-body strengthtraining benefits both men and women by creating leanertissue and losing any excess fat (by increasing metabolicefficiency),slowingmuscleloss(especiallyinolderadults)anddecreasingriskforinjury.Q.Willthisworkoutbeaneffectivewaytoloseweight?A. The combination of bodyweight strength trainingwith thecardiovascular training from performing supersets (manyexercises with no rest in between), Tabatas (20 seconds ofintense exercise followed by 10 seconds of rest) and the

sprintinginvolvedinthefitnessgamesisthemostefficientwayfor you to lose weight.When paired with balanced nutrition,you’llbefiringupyourmetabolisminaslittleas20minutesadaytoburnexcessfatandshredyourphysique.Q.Whatisthebesttimeofdaytodotheseworkouts?

A. Choosing a time is completely up to your preference. Ipersonally like the feeling of a great morning routineenergizingmeforthewholeday,butIoriginallyconceivedthisprogramwhileworkingout at lunchtimeat theparknearmyoffice.Afteraquickshoweratthegym,Iwasmoreenergizedat work in the afternoon after workouts than I was in themorning. Theworkouts in this book are designed to be donealmostanywhere,sopickatimethatworksforyou.Youcoulddosetsofexerciseswhileyougetreadyinthemorningorafteryougetthekidstobed.

Q.CanIcombineotherworkoutswiththisprogram?A.Ifyou’reanathletewhoneedstotrainsports-specificskills,then theworkouts in thisbook shouldbeused to supplementthat training. If you’rehoping toget strongerormore rippedfaster by doing extraworkouts on “rest days,” then you’re indanger of overtraining and not letting your muscles rest,recover and grow. For best results, follow the program—restincluded—for seven weeks. If you’re doing the program formaintenance, check out the advice in the “Maintaining YourRippedPhysique”sectiononpage114.Q.HowdoIusethegamestohelpmegetripped?A. All of the games are secretly fantastic workouts to shredyourbody and canbedone inplace of the cardio component(medicineballsprintsareagreatexample)onworkoutdaysoras a supplemental weekend workout. Fun, tough andguaranteedtogetyousweating,thesegameshavebeentestedand created over the course of several years and wereinstrumentalinmycross-traininginpreparationforracingmyfirstIronman.Q.What’sthesinglebesttipyoucangivetosomeoneabouttostartthisprogram?A.Committhetimeandefforttodotheprogramright.Oftenitreallyhelpstohaveapartnerortwo(that’showwecreatedtheprograms!)who’llkeepyouontracktocompletetheworkouts.Markworkout days on your calendar, or set an alert on yourcomputer or smartphone for the short amount of time theprogram takes. You can dowhat Jason and I did—block yourcalendar fromnoon to1p.m. eachday tomake sure yougetuninterruptedexercisetime.

BalancedNutrition

Balancednutritionisactuallyprettysimple,butwe’rebombardedbymillionsofdollarsworthofadvertisingtoutingunhealthy foods.For themostpart,wespendverylittletimereallythinkingaboutwhatweputintoourmouthsonadailybasis.Sure,we’reallbusyeveryday,butalittleplanningandpickingupsomehealthysnacks can prevent your stomach from steering youintoareallyunhealthyfoodchoice.

Developingbalancednutrition just requiresa littleknowledgeof your food’snutritional valueand someeasyplanning.Yourbodyconstantlyadjuststostayinbalance.Itmaysoundlikearidiculous oversimplification but, by eating healthy, balancedfoods,youmakeitthatmucheasierforyourbodytofunctionatpeak condition. Here are my top-10 superquick tips forassessingyourdailyfoodintake.TIP1:KEEPAFOODJOURNALFORAWEEK.Writedownabsolutely everything that you put in your belly—waterincluded—for seven days (or longer, if necessary) so you canfigure out your patterns. Include time, quantity and howhungry you felt on a scale of 1–10.Make a note about whatphysical activity you did that day as well; there’s usually acorrelationbetweenexertionandhunger.Themoreinformationyouputinyourjournal,themoredatayouhavetoanalyzeandfigureoutyourpatterns.TIP 2: DON’T LET YOURSELF GET FAMISHED. If yourstomachisgrumbling,there’sagoodchanceyou’llovereatorsnackonsomethingunhealthy.You’remorepronetoignorethe

unhealthiness of your snack or overdo the portions in yourimpulse to fill your belly. Eating smaller meals more oftenthroughout the day is the easiest way to combat the tummygrumblesandavoidsabotagingyourdailyfoodintake.TIP3:SPENDMORETIMEINTHEPRODUCEAISLEOFYOURGROCERYSTORE.Freshveggiesrequirealittlemoreeffort than grabbing french fries at a drive-through, but onebuilds healthy bodies and the other builds love handles.Experiment with adding a green pepper to your morningomelet inplaceofbaconorhaveanapple insteadofa candybar.

RIPPED TIP: Shop at the edges of the grocerystore. Grocery stores generally keep products thatspoil (i.e., have no artificial preservatives) at theexterior edges of the store, leaving the interior forcanned goods, processed foods and boxed items.Watchwhereyou’respendingthemajorityofyourtimeand where you’re getting the bulk of your calories.Generalrule:Ifyougetmostofyourcaloriesfromtheinterior of a grocery store, you need to change yourdiet.

TIP 4: TAKE A PICTURE OF YOUR FOOD AND DRINKBEFOREYOUEATIT.Thishelpsyourememberwhatyouate,whenyouateitandtheportionsize.Often,whenyou’rereallyhungry, you overlook all the extra calories in that meal—thecheese,condiments,bacon,etc.Ifyourfoodcameinapackagethathasalabel,takeapictureofthat,too.Balancednutritionstarts with knowing the nutritional value of your food. Usethose labelstohelpwithplanningyourprotein,carbohydrate,fatandcalorieintake.TIP5:DRINKMOREWATER. Soda pop, lemonade, energy

drinks, beer—they taste so good and are a huge part of ourdailylives.Unfortunately,they’realsoahugepartofourdaily

. A quick web search shows that the averageAmerican consumes approximately 400 calories a day fromsugary beverages. Those 146,000 extra calories can translateinto asmuch as 40 pounds ofweight gain a year.Here’s thegreat news: If you cut sugary drinks out of your daily fluidintake and drink 2–3 quarts of ice cold water a day, you’llbenefitfrom:

•Cutting hundreds of calories (and chemicals) from yourdailyintake.

•Burningmorecalories(partI)—icecoldwatermakesyourbodyworkhardertowarmittobodytemperature.

•Burningmore calories (part II)—themore hydrated youare, the more often you’ll urinate. Each trip to therestroomwillforceyoutogetupfromyourdeskandbeactive.

• Regulating your blood pressure, transporting nutrientsandkeepingallyourbodilysystemsrunningsmoothly.

RIPPEDTIP:“Protein”rhymeswith“lean.”WhiletheUSDA RDA for protein is .36 grams per pound ofbodyweight to maintain a healthy diet, to get rippedyou need to consume approximately 1 gram of leanproteinperpoundofyourdesiredweight. Inorder todo this, you’ll need to plan your meals and snacksaround protein content first, and these lean proteinswillmakeupabout50%ofyourdailyfoodintake.See“Eating to Get—and Stay—Ripped” on page 115 formoreinformation.

TIP6:EATREALFOODS.Themoreyoucanavoidprocessedfoods, the healthier you’ll be.Meat, fish, poultry, vegetables,fruits,nutsandseedsdon’thavenutritionfactslabelsonthembecause you knowwhat nutritional value they contain.While

I’m not advocating a full-on diet change, the Paleo diets arevery effective in helping some individuals get healthier andlean. I suggestmeeting in themiddle—fewerprocessed foodsthan you eat now and more healthier real foods. If you’revegetarianorgluten intolerant,you’llneed toadjustany foodintaketomeetyourdietaryrestrictions.TIP 7: AVOID THE EXTRA CALORIES WHEN EATINGOUT. When you’re eating at home, you know exactly whatingredients are going into your meal. When eating out, youhave a lot less knowledge of and control over all the extracalories that get put into that meal. The added butter, salt,sugaranddressingcanreallyadduptomakethathealthymealyouorderedacalorieandfatbomb.Askforanydressingontheside and your meats or vegetable cooked “plain” withoutsaucesorbutter.Spenda fewminutesscanning themenu forhealthychoicesandmakesuretoaskyourservertohelpkeepthemhealthy.It’sreallythatsimple.Ifyoucan’tfindahealthychoice, then choose a saladwith plenty of veggies (and evensomegrilledchicken)andmake sureyouget thedressingonthe side. Sometimes it’s better to have a salad, leave a littlehungryandhaveahealthysnackathome.TIP8:WHATHAPPENSINTHEPANTRYDOESN’TSTAYINTHEPANTRY.Thefirststepistobanishalltheunhealthysnack food fromyourhouse—if it’snot there,youcan’t snackon it. Sure, you may have fantastic willpower, but when youhave a craving and see that bag of chips, you’re puttingyourself in a predicament for no good reason. Having somefruit in a bowl on the counter works wonders—you see itconstantly,youcangrabitonthewayoutthedoorandyou’llalso feelguilty ifyoubought itandallowed it togobadrightunder your nose. Celery and carrots last even longer in thefridge than fruit and are always a great snack. A handful ofnuts anddried cranberrieswill goa longway in fueling yourbodyandfendingoffanycravingsforsugarysnacks.

RIPPED TIP: Stock your fridge, have a sparsepantry. As a corollary to shopping at the exterioredges of the grocery store, take inventory of yourfridgeandpantry.Themajorityofyourcaloriesshouldcome from the fridge and freezer rather than thepantry.

TIP9:PLANYOURSNACKSJUSTLIKEYOURMEALS.A“snack” absolutely does not have to be something decadentthat youneed to feel bad about after eating.Actually, snacksplayamajorroleinfuelingyourbodythroughouttheday.Didyou know that your body burns more calories while it’sprocessing food than when you have an empty stomach?Snacks fill in the gap between meals and keep your bodyburning calories all day long. Plan your snacks by bringing acouple of pieces of fruit to work or on your daily activities.Granola,nutsanddriedfruitalltravelwell.Thereareplentyofhealthyoptions inenergyandnutritionbars,butbeawareofthe calorie density and nutritional value. If you’re(occasionally) eating a meal-replacement bar, make sure it’sreplacingameal andnota snack. If youhavehealthy snacksavailable,you’llmakeyourchoicesfarmoreeasily.TIP10:IT’SALLABOUTBALANCE.Inordertostayactive,build a lean physique, and keep your energy level high, youneedtogetenoughmacro-andmicronutrientsandwatereachday.Macronutrients include fats, proteins and carbohydrates;micronutrients include vitamins and minerals. Your bodyrequires vitamins to regulate its complexchemistry, includingthat of the digestive and nervous systems. Minerals are thebuilding blocks for bone strength and cardiovascular health.Meats,fruitsandvegetablescontainplentyofthevitaminsandminerals your body needs on a daily basis. Vitaminsupplements are also a good way tomake sure your body isgettingthevitalmicronutrientsitneeds.

BeforeYouBegin

In order to focus on completing this programsuccessfully, it’s important to be ready for thechallenge and know your limits.When you begin anynew exercise program, it’s imperative that you talkwith your doctor first and make sure you’re healthyenoughtoparticipateinphysicalstrengthtrainingandconditioning.

Once you begin the program,performitatyourownpaceandwithinyourpersonal leveloffitness.Ifyoufeelextremelyfatiguedorhaveanuncomfortablelevelofpainandsoreness,taketwotothreedaysofffromtheworkout. If the discomfort or pain persists, you should see ahealthcareprofessional.Due to the nature of a full-body workout routine, you’ll be

lifting, pushing and pressing your entire bodyweight. Makesure you recognize any physical limitations such as weak orinjury-prone joints. It’s farmore important to be carefulwithnagginginjuriesthanitistobeworryaboutcompletingalltheexercises in a specified amount of time. Seven weeks is anoptimumamountoftimetogetripped,butnotifyouignorethewarningsignsandhurtyourself.Somemoveswillrequireyoutoliftyourbodyweightonbars,

benches, chairs or other objects. Please make sure that theapparatus you’reusing is sturdyenough tohandlemore thandoubleyourweight.Besmartandsafe—don’ttakeanychanceswithunsafeequipment,andmakesureyou’reproperlytrainedto use any equipment before you start a workout. Always beawareofyoursurroundingsandmakesureyouhaveplentyofroomtoexecutemovessafelywithouthittingor trippingover

otherobjects.

WarmingUp&Stretching

Properly warming up the body prior to any activity is veryimportant, as is stretching post-workout. Please note thatwarmingupandstretchingaretwocompletelydifferentthings:A warm-up routine should be done before stretching so thatyour muscles are more pliable and able to be stretchedefficiently.Youshouldnot“warmup”bystretching;yousimplydon’twanttopush,pullorstretchcoldmuscles.Prior to warming up, your muscles are significantly less

flexible.Thinkofpullingarubberbandoutofafreezer:Ifyoustretch it forcefullybefore it has a chance towarmup, you’lllikelytearit.Stretchingcoldmusclescancauseasignificantlyhigher rate of muscle strains and even injuries to joints thatrelyonthosemusclesforalignment.It’scrucialtoraiseyourbodytemperaturepriortobeginning

aworkout.Inordertopreventinjury,suchasamusclestrain,youwanttoloosenupyourmusclesandjointsbeforeyoubeginthe actual exercise movement. A good warm-up before yourworkoutshouldslowlyraiseyourcorebodytemperature,heartrateandbreathing.Beforejumpingintotheworkout,youmustincrease blood flow to all working areas of the body. Thisaugmentedbloodflowwilltransportmoreoxygenandnutrientsto themuscles beingworked. Thewarm-upwill also increasetherangeofmotionofyourjoints.Another goal is to focus your mental awareness and body

proprioception. You’ve heard that meditation requires beingpresent in the “now.” The same is true for a demandingexercise routine. Being totally present and focused will helpyouperformbetterandavoidinjury.Awarm-up should consist of light physical activity (such as

walking, jogging,stationarybikingor jumping jacks)andonly

take5–10minutestocomplete.Yourindividualfitnesslevelandthe activity determine howhard and how long you should gobut,generallyspeaking,theaveragepersonshouldbuilduptoalightsweatduringwarm-ups.Youwanttoprepareyourbodyforactivity,notfatigueit.Awarm-upshouldbedoneinthesestages:• GENTLE MOBILITY: Easy movements that get yourjoints moving freely, like standing arm raises, arm andshouldercircles,neckrotations,andtrunktwists.

•PULSERAISING: Gentle, progressive, aerobic activitythat starts the process of raising your heart rate, likejumpingjacks,skippingropeorrunninginplace.

• SPECIFIC MOBILITY: This begins working the jointsandmusclesthatwillbeusedduringtheactivity.Performdynamic movements to prepare your body for yourupcomingfull-bodyworkout.Thesemovementsaredonemore rapidly than the gentle mobility movements—envisionaswimmerbeforearaceoraweightlifterbeforea big lift. Dynamic movements should raise the heartrate, loosen specific joints and muscles, and get youmotivatedforyourworkout.

Stretching should generally be done after a workout. It’llhelpyoureducesorenessfromtheworkout,increaserangeofmotion and flexibility within a joint or muscle, and prepareyour body for any future workouts. Stretching immediatelypost-exercise while your muscles are still warm allows yourmusclestoreturntotheirfullrangeofmotion(whichgivesyoumore flexibility gains) and reduces the chance of injury orfatigue in the hours or days after an intense workout. It’simportanttorememberthatevenwhenyou’rewarmandloose,you should never “bounce” during stretching. Keep yourmovementsslowandcontrolled.Torecap,youshouldwarmupfor5–10minutes,performyour

workout,andthenstretch for5–10minutes.We’ve includedafew warm-up exercises and stretches that specifically targetthemusclesusedineachworkout(seepage116).

AvoidingInjuries

As I covered earlier in the FAQs (page 20), bodyweightstrengthtrainingcombinedwithcardiovascularexercisesisthemostefficientwaytobuildstrengthanddevelopalean,rippedphysique.Let’sbehonest,though;noneofusisperfect.Duetoyears of improper posture, sports injuries or even weakmusculature, we all have imbalances that can affect properform and even put us on the fast track to injury. In addition,jumping into a new exercise routine too quickly or doing theexerciseswith improper formcanexacerbateanypre-existinginjury.It’sveryimportantthatyoufocusonproperformandutilize

thepropermuscles tocompleteeachexercise.Thismeansnocheating by arching your back on push-ups or swinging yourlegs on pull-ups. You’re only cheating yourself; every properform rep just gets you closer to ripped! If you have a pre-existing condition like rotator cuff soreness or a muscularimbalance,takeyourtimeandworkyourwayupslowlywhilefocusing on training with good form. If pain or sorenesspersists,pleaseseeamedicalprofessional.Speakingofprofessionals,rememberthatnooneexpectsyou

to be a pro at every movement. Some exercises may comenaturallywhileothersfeelcompletelyforeign.Ipersonallyfightwithkeepingmyshoulderslevelwhenperformingpull-ups.Allyou can do is keep working on perfecting the form and getstrongeralongtheway.Don’tgiveupandsitoutanexerciseifyoucan’tdoit—maketheinvestmentinyourselfandlearntheproperformforeachmove.You’llonlyreapthebenefits.

ListentoYourBody

You should be able to tell when you’re ready to begin a

strengthandconditioningprogramlikethisonebytuningintoyourbody.Takeiteasyandbesmartaboutdeterminingwhat’snormal soreness from aworkout andwhat’s a nagging injurythatyou’reaggravating. Ifyouthink it’s the latter, takea fewextradaysoffandseeifthesorenesspasses.Ifitdoesn’t,youshouldseeamedicalprofessional.Throughouttheroutine,youshouldexpecttoexperiencemild

soreness and fatigue, especially when you’re just gettingstarted. The feeling of yourmuscles being “pumped” and thefatigue of an exhausting workout should be expected. Thesearepositivefeelings.On the other hand, any sharp pain, muscle spasm or

numbnessisawarningsignthatyouneedtostopandnotpushyourself any harder. Some small muscle groups may fatiguemore quickly because they’re often overlooked in otherworkouts. Your hands and forearms are doing a tremendousamount ofwork and can easily tire out. If you feel you can’tgriporsupportyourselfwithyourhandsanymore,takearest.It’sfarbetterthanslippingandgettinghurt.Here are a few other symptoms to watch for: sore elbows,

shoulder (rotator cuff) pain and stiff neck. Sore elbows areusually a sign that you’re locking out your elbowswhen yourarms are fully extended; remember to keep a slight bend inyour elbows. Pain in the rotator cuff can be caused by poorformorahandpositionthatistoowidewhiledoingpull-upsorpush-ups. A stiff neck can result from straining your neckthroughout the movement; try to keep your neck loose andflexible.Ifanyofthesepainspersists, it’s imperativethatyouseekmedicaladvice.

HowtoUseThisBook

Designed for men and women to build total-bodystrength and fitness, theprogram puts together bodyweight exercises, games,warm-ups,stretchesandcardiovascularroutinesforauniqueworkout.Italsoproducesresultsthatyouneedto see—and feel—to believe. The program is brokendownintothreelevels:Prep,LevelIandLevelII.

ThePreplevelmakestheprogramaccessibletoanyonewho’sinterested in getting ripped, regardless of age, weight orfitnesslevel.Thislevelwillbuildyourstrengthandconfidencebyteachingyoufull-bodyexercisesthatareeasytorememberandrepeat.Level I is the meat and potatoes of the program, with

carefullychosenexercisestohelpyoudevelopleanmuscleandburnfat.Level II kicks things up a notch by integrating Tabata

intervals,advancedmovesandanadditionalsetortwo.LevelIIwillkeepyouonyourtoesandworkyourentirebodylike

nootherworkoutyou’llfind!How do you find out where you start in the

program?Takethe“Power4”testonpage36!

FindYourLevelUsingthe“Power4”Exercises

The “Power 4” test measures your ability to perform four

exercises:pull-ups, squats,push-upsandplanks.You’lldo themaximumamountofeachofthesewithgoodform,followedbyatwo-minutebreak.

Yes,that’sthewholeidea.ThroughoutLevelIandLevelIIoftheprogram,you’llbeperformingdifferentintervals,includingsupersets (completingexerciseswith littleornorestbetweensetsormovements)andTabataintervals(20secondsofintenseexercisefollowedby10secondsofrest,thenrepeatedupto8times). By “semi-supersetting” (2-minute rest in betweenexercises),thistestcloselymirrorstheactualworkoutsandwillgiveyouanaccuratebaseline.If you’re unsure about tackling these exercises by yourself,

why not invite a friend to take on this challenge with you?Having a training partner is a great way to keep you safe,motivated and accountable for your workouts. If you have atrainingpartnerfortheinitialtest,havethemkeepaneyeonyour form to make sure you’re performing the movementproperly.Ifyou’rehavingproblemswithyourform,nowistheeasiesttimetofixit.

IncorporatingGames&Cardio

What about the games and cardio, you ask? The games andcardioexercisesarealllistedintheAppendixstartingonpage126; for the most part they’re all mix and match. If yourworkoutcallsfor15minutesofcardioafterward,thenyoucanpick any cardio or game from the list and put in at least 15minutesofqualityexercise.Whetheryouhoponthetreadmillanddo“musicintervals”orhitapatchofgrassforballsprints,the routine is up to you. You can even combine two or threecardio exercises and games to allow a wide range of motion

andgetyourmetabolismfiredup.Some games are a complete workout by themselves and a

greatwaytogetoutsideandgetsomeextratraininginontheweekend. “Hot Corner” (page 134) features bodyweightexercises,sprintsanddynamicmoves that’llkeepyoumovingovertheweekendandisafantasticwayforyoutoincludeyourfamilyandfriendsinsomehealthycompetition.

“Power4”Test

Before beginning the test, it’s imperative that youprepareyourself fortheexercisesbywarmingupandgetting your blood pumping. A goodwarm-up shouldbe5–10minutesandraiseyourbodytemperaturetoalightsweat.Fliptopages116–21forsomeideas.

Here’swhatyou’llneedforthetest:•Pull-upbar•Stopwatch/timerforplanks•Water•Towel•Exercisemat(preferred,butoptional)

Your workout area should be well-ventilated and free fromobstructionssoyoucancompletethemovementsfreelywithouthitting anything. Use an appropriate bar that’s high enoughthatyoucanextendyourarmsfullywhengraspingit.Ifit’stoohigh,youmayfeeluncomfortablejumpinguptograbit.Ifit’stoo low,you’llwasteenergybendingyourknees tokeepyourfeet from touching the ground. The bar itself should be safeandsturdyandabletoholdmorethandoubleyourbodyweight.Warmedupandready?Great! Justa fewminutesmoreand

youcanstart the test.Beforeyoudo, it’svery important thatyou familiarize yourself with proper form for each exercise.Read each of the exercise descriptions, view the photos andslowly try eachmove yourself a few times tomake sure youunderstandexactlywhatyou’llbedoingonceyougetstarted.Makesureyou’rehydrated,somewhatrelaxedandtakesome

slow, deep breaths to prepare. We’re starting with the mostdifficult of the “Power 4” moves—the pull-up. Even if you’veneverbeenabletodoapull-upinthepast,it’simportantthat

you try. I’ve personally witnessed many people who thoughtthey couldn’t do any do 3 or 4 once they realize the properformandusethelargemusclesoftheirupperbacktocompletethemovement.Don’tmentallyblockyourselffromsuccess;giveityourbestshot.

RIPPED TIP: Take a “before” picture. Actually, takeseveral from different angles. Guys, take your shirtsoff,andladies,pickthatbikinithatyou’d loveto lookgreat in. This is a really important step that is oftenforgottenandbesttakencareofbeforeyoueventakethe test. Personally, I wish I had some good shirt-off“before”picturesofmyself.Truthbetold,InevertookanyshirtlesspicturesbecauseIwasunhappywiththeway I looked. Now I wish I had those photos tocompare—and you will, too! You don’t need to sharethem with anyone else right now if you’re self-conscious, but I’ve had trainees post them on theirfridge to remind them of why they were working sohard to get fit. Keep track of your progress with apicture each week; you’ll be amazed at yourtransformation!

Pull-Up

1Gripthehorizontalbarwithyourpalmsfacingawayfromyouand your arms fully extended. Your hands should be slightlywider(upto2inches)thanyourshoulders.Yourfeetshouldnottouch the floor during this exercise. Let all of your weightsettle in position but don’t relax your shoulders—this maycausethemtooverstretch.

2Squeezeyourshoulderbladestogether(scapularretraction)to start the initial phase of the pull-up. During this initialmovement, pretend that you’re squeezing a pencil between

your shoulder blades—don’t let the pencil drop during anyphaseofthepull-up.Forphasetwo(upward/concentricphase),lookupatthebar,exhaleandpullyourchinuptowardthebarbydrivingyourelbowstowardyourhips.It’sveryimportanttokeep your shoulders back and chest up during the entiremovement.Pullyourselfupinacontrolledmanneruntilthebarisjustabovethetopofyourchest.

Inhaleandloweryourselfbacktothestartingposition.Be sure to move slowly and with control during both the

upwardanddownwardphases.Don’t lockyourelbows, swingyour feet or “bounce” at the bottom of themovement beforestartingtheupwardmovement.Continueuntilyou’vedonealltherepetitionsyoucandocleanly.Writedownthenumberyouwereabletocompletewhileyou

takea2-minutebreakandprepareforyourbodyweightsquattest.Whetheryoucomplete0or20,makesuretorestthefull2minutesbeforemovingontothenextexercise.

Squat

1 Stand tall with your feet shoulder-width apart and toespointed slightly outward, about 11 and 1 o’clock. Raise yourarmsuntilthey’reparalleltothefloor.2Beginyourdescentbybendingatthehipsand“sittingback”justalittlebitasifyouwereabouttositdirectlydownintoachair. Bend your knees slowly and keep your head up, eyesforward and arms out in front of you for balance. Your bodyshouldleanforwardslightlyandyourshouldersshouldalmostbe in linewithyourknees;yourkneesshouldnotextendpastyourtoes.Yourweightshouldremainbetweentheheelandthemiddleofyourfeet;don’trollupontheballsofyourfeet.Stopwhenyourbuttisabout6inchesawayfromthefloororwhenyourkneesareat90°andyourthighsareparalleltothefloor.

Push straight up from your heels back to the startingposition. Don’t lock your knees at the top of the exercise.Repeatasmanygood-formsquatsasyoucan.Writedownthenumberyouwereabletocompletewhileyou

takea2-minuterestandprepareforyourpush-uptest.

Push-Up

1 Place your hands on the ground approximately shoulder-widthapart,makingsureyourfingerspointstraightaheadandyourarmsare straightbutyourelbowsnot locked.Stepyourfeet back until your body forms a straight line from head tofeet.Yourfeetshouldbeabout6inchesapartwiththeweightintheballsofyourfeet.Engageyourcoretokeepyourspinefromsagging;don’tsinkintoyourshoulders.

2 Inhale as you lower your torso to the ground and focus onkeeping your elbows as close to your sides as possible,stoppingwhenyourelbowsareata90°angleoryourchestis1–2inchesfromthefloor.Using your shoulders, chest and triceps, exhale and push

yourtorsobackuptostartingposition.Repeatasmanytimesasyoucanwhileusinggoodform.

Writedownthenumberyouwereabletocompletewhileyoutakea2-minuterestandprepareforyourfinaltest,theplank.

RIPPEDTIP:Sometimestheactofcountingyourrepscan be a mental barrier. Have you ever noticed thatwhenyouplantodo10repetitions,numbers8,9and10areincrediblydifficultyetyouknowyoucando15repseasilymostdays?Forsomepeople,includingme,theactofcountingchangesthefocusonthegoalandmakesitmoredifficulttofinish.Priortotheexercise,if you think “Ineverdomore than5,” there’sagoodchance you’re mentally limiting yourself before youevenstart.Ifyouhaveapartner,havethemcountyourreps inside their head and tell you afterward. Don’thaveapartner?Useavideocamera!Notonlycanyoucomplete your reps without your mind playing tricksonyou,youcanalsousethefootagetocheckoutyourform.

Plank

Thisisatimedexercise,soplaceawatchwhereyoucanseeitwhen you’re in position. The plank is exactly like the topportionofapush-up.THE POSITION: Place your hands on the groundapproximately shoulder-widthapart,makingsureyour fingerspoint straight ahead and your arms are straight but yourelbowsnotlocked.Stepyourfeetbackuntilyourbodyformsastraight line from head to feet. Your feet should be about 6inchesapartwiththeweight intheballsofyour feet.Engageyourcoretokeepyourspinefromsagging;don’tsinkintoyourshoulders.Lookat yourwatchandnote the time—you’reon theclock.

Remembertobreatheandmaintainthepositionforaslongasyoucan.Besurenottoletyourbuttsag.Ifyouhaveapartnerormirror, take a peek at your form.Once you can no longerkeepyourbackflat,loweryourtorsotothefloorandnotethetime.

RIPPED TIP: Engage your core as if you werebreathinginandoutthroughastraw—purseyourlipsandforcetheairinandoutwithyourabmuscles.MikeDeAngelowouldalways tellme to“breathewithyourbellybutton”tokeepmycoretautandbackstraight.

Congratulationsonfinishingthetest—you’realreadyonyourway to getting ripped!Write down your time and grab somewater(andmaybeevenatowel).You’redonefortoday!

DeterminingYourLevel

Nowgrabyoursheetandlet’sseehowyourtestperformancematchesuptotheprogram.Remember,thatwasn’tapass/failtest.Anyofthedifferentlevelswillhelpyougetripped!Boy, these round numbers are convenient, eh? So, what

happensifyou’rebetweenlevelsinsomeareasandnotothers?Startwiththelevelthathasthemostrepsincommonwithyourinitial test. The goal of this book is to get you ripped byworkingyourentirebody.Youcan’tdothatifyou’reneglectinganymajormusclegroups. 7pull-ups,15push-ups,12squatsanda45-secondplankwouldmeanyoustartwithLevelI.

Ifyouwereunabletocompleteanyrepsonanyexercise,it’srecommendedthatyoustartinthePreplevel.For90percentofreaders,pull-upswillbethedecidingfactor.It’simportant thatyoubuild themuporyou’llbemissingahugepartoftheprogram.ThePreplevelcanbefoundonpage137.

ShareYourSuccess

We’ve created a Facebook page for our fans to share photos,goals, successes and challenges at

facebook.com/7weekstogettingripped. Upload your before,during and after photos to inspire yourself and others. Ipersonally posted my photos during my seven-weektransformationandcontinuetopostupdatesandinteractwitheveryoneontheprogram.Help,tipsandmotivationareonlyaclickaway.

RIPPED TIP: Keep your initial test scores. If youfollowedanearlierRippedTip(seepage37)andtooksomepictures, print one andwrite your score on theback.Whenyoucompleteeachprogram,compareyournew test scores with your first score—you should beamazedwithyourprogress.

PARTII:

THEPROGRAM

7WeekstoGettingRippedProgram

The program is composedof two progressive levels (one three weeks long, theother four) and performed three days a week. Eachworkout is structured around several exercisesperformed in a superset, with an added cardiocomponent to really kickstart your fat-burningmetabolism. will build your strength, improveyourformandfamiliarizeyouwithsomenewexercisesthat’ll help shred your body. ratchets up theintensity by adding more complex moves as well asincorporatingextremetrainingmethods.

Theworkoutsareperformed3timesaweekwithatleast1dayofrest inbetween.Fromexperience,Monday,WednesdayandFriday seem towork the best. If you’re planning to start theworkoutonaMonday,youshouldtaketheinitial“Power4”teston thepreviousThursdayorFriday. If you’renew toworkingoutorare returningafter some timeoff, you’llmost likelybesorefor1–2daysaftertakingtheinitialtest.Givingyourself2–3daystorecoverbeforeyoustarttheprogramisagreatideaandincreasesyourchancesofsuccess.

ReadingtheCharts

Theprogramisbrokendownintoaseriesofweeks.Eachweekhasthree“workout”days,solookingattheexampleforDay1,Week1:Afterwarmingupfor5minutes,you’ddo5chin-ups,10squats,10push-ups,a30-secondplankandthenrestfor2

minutesbeforestartingset2.Continueuntilyou’vefinishedall3setsandthenmoveontothecardio/gamecomponentbeforestretchingattheend.

AWORDABOUTINTENSITY

Thehigherthelevelofintensityyouputintotheworkout,themoreyou’ll reap thebenefits.Moving fromexercisetoexercisequicklyduringsupersets, finishingeveryrepwith proper form, putting the hammer down on sprintsandspeedworkandexecutingeachworkoutfromstarttofinishisthemostefficientwaytodeveloptherippedbodyyouwant.TheworkoutsinLevelIarechallenging,butifyousleepwalkthroughthemovementsandslogfromoneexercisetothenext,you’reonlycheatingyourself.LevelIisacommitmentofabout30minutesofintenseworkout3daysaweek.Throwinagameontheweekendandyourweekly commitment is only about 2 hours—that’s lessthan some people wait in line per week at their localcoffee shop. Stay focused and keep the intensity highthroughout your workouts. Don’t forget to hydrate andbreatheproperly,too!

LevelI

WelcometoLevelI!Bynowyou’vealreadyfamiliarizedyourself with the pull-up, squat, push-up and plankinvolved in the test, and thosewill be the “Power 4”exercisesthatwe’llbuilduponbyusingdifferentgrips,variationsandmorecomplexmoves.Makenomistakeaboutit—thesefoursimplemoveswillabsolutelyshredyour body when built into a structured workout thatcontainsvariationstomixitup.

Turn to Part III to familiarize yourself with the exercises foreach workout before starting. If Day 1 of the workout is tooeasyforyou,pleasejuststickwithitforthefirstweek.Ifyouoverdoit,you’llmissworkoutsandit’llbemoredifficulttogetback on track. If you find the workouts still too easy duringWeek2,repeatthefirstsetforthatday.

LevelITest

Congratulations on completing Level I! You’ve done somefantasticworktogettothispoint!Nowisagreattimetotestyourprogress.Takeatleasttwofulldaysofrestandthentakethe“Power4”testagain:

•MAXNUMBEROF PULL-UPS (2:00 rest, write down

yourresults)•MAXNUMBEROFSQUATS(2:00rest,writedownyourresults)

•MAXNUMBEROFPUSH-UPS (2:00 rest,write downyourresults)

• MAX TIME HOLDING A PLANK (write down yourresults)

Catchyourbreath,hydrateandrelax.Checkyourresults toseeifyoushouldretakeLevelIoradvancetoLevelII.Howfarhaveyoucomesinceyour first test?Checkout theresultsonpaper—or,betteryet,check’emoutinthemirror!

LevelII

Congratulations on reaching Level II! This levelratchets up the intensity by adding more complexmoves aswell as incorporatinghigh-intensity intervaltraining(HIIT)andTabataintervals.

HIIT is a very effective method for rapid fat burning andperformance improvements; it’s best described as alternatingbetweenmaximumintensityfor3–6repsfollowedby3–6repsat50%intensity.Forsprints,HIITismaximumeffortforasetperiod of time followed by an equal amount of rest. Forexample,you’dsprintfor1minuteandthenwalkfor1minute,repeatingthis8–10times.Tabataintervalsareextremelyshort,intenseworkoutsshown

tohaveamazing results in strengthbuildingand full-body fatburning.They’rebasedon20secondsofsuperintenseexercisefollowedby10secondsofrest.Thisisrepeatedfor8cyclesfora totalof3minutesand50seconds.Youread that right: lessthan 4 minutes! Don’t underestimate this workout—it’llabsolutelyexhaustyouandhelpyougetshreddedlikenothingelse.Earlier,wetalkedabitaboutintensity(seepage47)andhow

important it is to your success with this program. Level IIraises the bar with the different intervals and movementsfeatured,but thebottom line isstill thesame—you’llonlygetmaximumresultsfromtheworkoutifyouperformtheexerciseswith good form and at the intensity required for each of theintervals. The goals for Level II are to develop full-bodystrengthanda lean, rippedphysiqueaswell as improveyourabilitytoperformallofthemovements.TurntoPartIIItofamiliarizeyourselfwiththeexercisesfor

eachworkoutbeforestarting.

LevelIITest

CongratulationsoncompletingLevelII!Ihopeyou’vegottenawholebunchofamazingworkoutsunderyourbeltandlearnedsomegreatnewmoves!Whatdoyouthink,isthisagoodtimeto test your progress? Sure, why not? Take at least two fulldaysofrestandthentakethe“Power4”testagain:

•MAXNUMBEROF PULL-UPS (2:00 rest, write downyourresults)

•MAXNUMBEROFSQUATS(2:00rest,writedownyourresults)

•MAXNUMBEROFPUSH-UPS (2:00 rest,write downyourresults)

• MAX TIME HOLDING A PLANK (write down yourresults)

Catchyourbreath,hydrateandrelax.Howfarhaveyoucomesinceyourfirsttest?

PARTIII:

EXERCISES

StandardPush-Up

1 Place your hands on the ground approximately shoulder-widthapart,makingsureyourfingerspointstraightaheadandyourarmsare straightbutyourelbowsnot locked.Stepyourfeet back until your body forms a straight line from head tofeet.Yourfeetshouldbeabout6inchesapartwiththeweightintheballsofyourfeet.Engageyourcoretokeepyourspinefromsagging;don’tsinkintoyourshoulders.

2 Inhale as you lower your torso to the ground and focus onkeeping your elbows as close to your sides as possible,stoppingwhenyourelbowsareata90°angleoryourchestis1–2inchesfromthefloor.Using your shoulders, chest and triceps, exhale and push

yourtorsobackuptostartingposition.STAGGEREDVARIATION: Staggered push-ups can be donewithyourhandsinprettymuchanypositionaslongasyoucansupport yourself. Be aware of any pain in your elbows orshoulders;movingyourhandsawayfromyourtorsoincreasestheloadthesejointsneedtobeartolowerandraiseyourbody.

DiamondPush-Up

Placeyourhandsdirectlyunderyourchestwiththethumbandforefingerofeachhandtouchingtoforma“diamond.”NARROWVARIATION: This version also targets the tricepsmore than standard push-ups do. Here, your hands are 6–10

inchesapart.

WidePush-Up

Placeyourhandsanywherefrom6to12inchesawayfromyourchest on either side. Be aware of any pain in your elbows orshoulders;movingyourhandsawayfromyourtorsoincreasestheloadthesejointsneedtobeartolowerandraiseyourbody.

MedicineBallPush-Up

1Assumeapush-uppositionbutplaceamedicineball underonehandwhilekeepingtheotherhandflatonthefloor.Engageyour core to keep your spine erect and keep your body in astraightlinefromheadtotoe.

2 Inhale as you lower your upper body toward the floor,stoppingwhenyourchest isabout1 inchabove themedicineball.Exhale and push off the floor using your arms, chest, back

andcoreandreturntostartingposition.

3—4Placebothhandsonthefloorandwalkyourhandstotheleftorrighttoplaceyourotherhandontopoftheball.Repeatuntilallrepsarecomplete.VARIATION:With largermedicineballsorstabilityballs,youcanworkyoursupportingmusclesevenmorebyplacingbothhandsononeballandperformingapush-up.Performthepush-up with careful attention to keeping your core taut andmaintainingyourbalance.Agoodgripisextremelyimportant,sobecarefulusinganyballwithaslipperysurface.

TPush-Up

1Assumeastandardpush-upposition(page62).2Inhaleasyouloweryourtorsototheground,stoppingwhenyourelbowsareata90°angleoryourchestis1–2inchesfromthefloor.

3Exhaleandpushupfromthefloor.

4 As your armsnear full extension, lift your left handoff thefloor and slowly raise your hand out to your left side whilesimultaneously rotating your entire torso, head and left leguntilyourbodyformsa“T”shapewithyour leftarmpointingdirectlyupwardandyourrighthand incontactwiththe floor,supportingyourweight.Maintaina contractedcoreandkeepyourspineerect.Holdthatpositionfor3seconds(orlongerifyouchoosetoincorporateasideplank).Slowlyrotateyourtorsobacktoplankposition.Repeatonthe

otherside.

Pull-Up

1Gripthehorizontalbarwithyourpalmsfacingawayfromyouand your arms fully extended. Your hands should be slightlywider(upto2inches)thanyourshoulders.Yourfeetshouldnottouch the floor during this exercise. Let all of your weightsettle in position but don’t relax your shoulders—this maycausethemtooverstretch.

2Squeezeyourshoulderbladestogether(scapularretraction)to start the initial phase of the pull-up. During this initialmovement, pretend that you’re squeezing a pencil betweenyour shoulder blades—don’t let the pencil drop during anyphaseofthepull-up.Forphasetwo(upward/concentricphase),lookupatthebar,exhaleandpullyourchinuptowardthebarbydrivingyourelbowstowardyourhips.It’sveryimportanttokeep your shoulders back and chest up during the entiremovement.Pullyourselfupinacontrolledmanneruntilthebarisjustabovethetopofyourchest.Inhaleandloweryourselfbacktostartingposition.

Pull-UpGripVariations

UNDERHAND (CHIN-UP) GRIP: Grab the bar with yourpalms facing you. Thismovement is easiest because it allowsyou to use more of your biceps to complete the motion. Onaverage, underhand pull-ups are about 10–15 percent easierthanoverhandpull-ups.

NARROWGRIP:Grab thebar (underhandoroverhand)withyourhands3–6inchesapart.Becauseofthecloseproximityofyourhands,youmayneedtoleanbackabitsoyoudon’tsmackyourfaceonthebacksofyourhands.Also,duetothecompactnature of bringing your arms in medially, you’ll engage yourcore a bit more than during a standard overhand pull-up.Narrow-grip overhand pull-ups are generally easier than astandardoverhandpull-upandemphasizethelowerlats.

NEUTRAL GRIP: In order to do this type of pull-up, you’llneed to use a pull-up apparatuswith handles that are 90° inrelationtoanormalpull-upbar.Thesehandleswillallowyoutocreateahandpositionwhereyourpalmsarefacingeachotherabout8–12inchesapart.Neutralpull-upsarethemostnaturalhand position and allow significant use of the biceps, upperchest and core. With neutral pull-ups, it’s important toremembertoengageyourupperbackmuscles,asit’spossibleto“cheat”anduseyourbicepsastheprimemovers.

MIXEDGRIP: This is done with one overhand grip and oneunderhandgrip.Duetotheimbalancescausedbymixingyourgrip,you’llworkmorecoreandupper-bodystabilizingmusclesthanyouwouldwitheither theunderhandoroverhandgrips.Since most people will use the biceps of the underhand-griparm to do more than its fair share of work to complete themove, you should swap grips in-between sets if you’re doingmultiplesorsplitthesetinhalfandswapinthemiddle.

WIDE GRIP: The wide-grip pull-up, with hands on the barabout8–12inchesoutsidetheshoulders,isanadvancedmoveand should only be performed bywell-trained, fit individuals.Often,pull-upbarswillhavea45°bendneartheends;this iswhere you should place your hands if your arms are longenough.Theangleofthebarismoreanatomicallycorrectandeasier on your shoulders. This is the hardest pull-up handpositionforafewreasons.Mainly,movingyourhandslaterallyaway from your core places your shoulders and elbows in aweaker position. Stabilizer muscles that normally aren’tresponsible for carrying a large amount of weight are nowreally “on thehook” to assist your armsand latissimusdorsi.Thiseffectivelyincreasesyouroverallupperbackstrength,butwithacaveat—thestrainputonyourrotatorcuffsandelbowsmaycausepainorevenjointfailure.Usedsparingly,it’sagoodtestofyouroverallupperbackstrength,butpleasestopatthefirstsignofanyelboworshoulderpain.

CommandoPull-Up

1Standperpendiculartothebarwithitdirectlyoverheadandbisectingyourbodyintoleftandrighthalves.Reachuptogripthebarlikeabaseballbat(e.g.,handsonoppositesidesofthebar). Your elbows should be a few inches apart and pointedtowardthefloor,notflaredouttothesides.2 Engage your core and pull upward using your biceps,shoulder,chestandbacktobringyourheadupononesideofthe bar. Keep your arms tight to your torso and bring yourelbows toward yourwaist. At the top of themove, touch one

shouldertothebar.Inaslowandcontrolledmanner,loweryourbodybacktothe

startingposition.Switchshoulderseachrep.RIPPEDVARIATION:Formorecoreactivation,ontheupwardmovement raise your knees up and crunch your core—thehigheryourlegs,themoreyouactivateyourcore.Youcanevenbringyourfeetuptotouchthebar.

Plank

1 Place your hands on the ground approximately shoulder-widthapart,makingsureyourfingerspointstraightaheadandyourarmsare straightbutyourelbowsnot locked.Stepyour

feet back until your body forms a straight line from head tofeet.Yourfeetshouldbeabout6inchesapartwiththeweightintheballsofyourfeet.Engageyourcoretokeepyourspinefrom sagging; don’t sink into your shoulders. Look at yourwatchandnotethetime—you’reontheclock.Lowertostartingpositionwhentimeisreached.

FOREARM VARIATION: Place your elbows on the floorbeneath your shoulders, your hands palm-down on the floorand your entire forearms in contact with the floor. Becauseyour body is closer to parallel with the floor, you’re workingyourcoreevenhardertomaintainastraightlinefromheadtotoe.

CHECKINGYOURLINE

Use a training partner,mirror or even a straight objectlike a broomhandle tomake sure your body is straight(you’ll have a little curve at the bottom of your spineabove thepelvis—that’snormal). If youhavea four-footpiece of PVC pipe, you can make your plankssuperchallenging and fun: Get into forearm plankposition(itworksbestwhenyou’reclosertoparallelwiththefloor)andhaveapartnerplacethePVCpipeonyourback,restingitbetweenyourshoulderblades,downyour

spine and across yourbuttocks. Timeeach other to seewhocankeepthepipefromrollingoffthelongest.Ifyouwanttokickitupanotch,youcanputsomesandinthePVCpipeandcaptheendsforweightedplanks.

SidePlank

1Lieonyoursideandstackyourfeet,hipsandshouldersatopeachother.Propyourselfuponyourelbow,keepingitdirectlyunderyourshoulder;yourforearmshouldbecompletelyontheground,perpendiculartoyourbody.

2Engagingyourcoretokeepyourspineerect,liftyourhipsofftheflooruntilyouformanicelinefromheadtofeet.Letyourtop arm rest along your side. Hold the position for apredeterminedamountoftimeorforaslongaspossible.Slowly lower your hips to the floor. Repeat on the opposite

side.

MODIFICATION: Peoplewithweak kneesmay find that thisposition puts a great deal of strain on their kneeswhen theykeep both legs straight. To alleviate some of the stress, I’veused a foam roller, medicine ball or similar to provide somekneejointstability.Placetheobjectontheoutsideofthethighthat isclosest to thegroundandkeepyour legsstraight.Youmay need to experiment with the positioning to getcomfortable.

In&Out

1Lieflatonyourbackwithyourlegsextendedstraightalongthefloorandyourarmsalongyoursides,palmsdown.

2 Lift your feet about 3 inches off the floor, bend your kneesand bring your feet toward your butt while simultaneouslylifting your arms off the floor and activating your abs to rollyourupperbodyupward.

3 Continue raising your head and shoulders off the floor andbringing your hands past the outside of your knees whilebringingyourkneesandchesttogether.Atthetopofthemove,pausefor1–3seconds.Slowly return to starting position. Be careful to “roll” your

spine inanaturalmovementand letyourshouldersandhead

lightlytouchthefloor.VARIATION: For more abs activation, maintain the samedistance of your feet from the floor as you extend your legsbacktostraightandhold themthereuntilyoubegin thenextrep. It’sa lotharderandyou’llrecruit farmoremuscles fromyourupper legs,pelvicgirdleandhips toextendyour legs inand out without letting your heels touch. Remember to keepyourhandsleveltothefloor—you’recheatingifyouraisethemup!

FlutterKick

1Lieflatonyourbackwithyourlegsextendedalongthefloorandyourarmsalongyoursides,palmsdown.

2Contract your lowerabdominalmusclesand lift your feet6inchesoffthefloor.Holdfor5seconds.(Iprefertoflexmyfeet90° inorder toworkmycalvesabit,butyoumaypointyourtoes.)

3While keeping your left foot in place, lift your right foot 6incheshigher (it shouldnowbe12 inchesoff the floor).Holdfor5seconds.

4Simultaneouslyloweryourrightlegbackto6inchesoffthefloor while raising your left foot 6 inches higher. Hold for 5seconds.Thiscountsas2reps.

MasonTwist

1Sitonthefloorwithyourkneescomfortablybent,feetonthefloor, arms bent 90° and hands holding a medicine ball orweightinfrontofyourchest.

2 Lift your feet 4–6 inches off the floor and balance yourbodyweightonyourposterior.Keepyourcore tight toprotectyourback.

3 While maintaining the same hip position, twist your entiretorsoatthewaistandtouchtheballtothefloorontheleftsideofyourbody.4 Rotate back to center, keeping your feet off the floor andmaintaining your balance using the supporting coremuscles.Thenrotatetoyourrightandtouchtheballtothefloor.Returntocenter.Thisisonerep.

MODIFICATION: If you’re not ready to addweight, you canalsodothisbyclaspingyourhandsinfrontofyou.

V-Sit

1Lieflatonyourbackwithyourlegsextendedstraightalongthe floor and your arms extended overhead on the floorwithyourbicepsbyyourears.2Contracting your abdominalmuscles andkeeping your legsstraight, raise your legs and upper torso to form a “V.” Yourstraight arms can be held parallel to your legs or alongsideyourears.Holdthepositionforatleast3seconds.Slowly lower everything downwithout touching the ground

withyourheelsorshoulders,thenperformanotherrep.

ReverseCrunch

1Lieflatonyourbackwithyourlegsextendedalongthefloorandyourarmsalongyoursides,palmsdown.

2Contractingyourlowerabdominalmuscles,liftyourfeet4–6

inchesoffthefloor,bendyourkneesandbringthemintowardyour chest. Be careful not to put excessive pressure on yourlowerbackbybringingyourhipsoffthefloor.Pausewhenyourglutesriseslightlyoffthemat.

3 Extend your legs and lower them until your feet are 4–6inchesoffthefloor.

HangingLegRaise

1Grabanoverheadbarwithyourpreferredgrip(underhand,overhandormixed)andhangfromthebarwithyourarmsfullyextended but elbows not locked. For this exercise, count 3secondsup,hold1–3seconds,andthen3secondsdown.

2Contractingyourabdominalmuscles,slowlybringyourkneesup toward your chest while keeping your torso as close tovertical as possible.Don’t lean back during themovement orswingbetweenreps.Loweryourlegsinthesameslowmanner.

RIPPEDVARIATION:Kickyourhanginglegraisesupanotchbyaddingapikeonthewaydown.Afteryoubringyourlegstoyourchestandholdfor3seconds,straightenyourlegsasyoulowerthemandholdinapikeposition(or“L”shapeformedbyyour torso and legs) for an additional 3 seconds. Ready for

more?Holdthepikepositionanddosomepull-ups.

LegClimber

1Lieflatonyourbackwithyourlegsextendedstraightalongthe floor and your arms extended overhead on the floorwithyourbicepsbyyourears.

2Contractyourabdominalmusclesandraisebothlegsofftheground8–12inches.Keepbothlegsstraight.

3–4Keepingyourleftleginplace,raiseyourrightlegandyourupper torso very similar to theV-sit. Reach your left hand tograb the insideof your right leg (thehigher thebetter), thengrab the same leg closer to your foot with your right hand.Work your hands up until you’ve successfully climbedMount(insertyournamehere)’sleg.Ifdoneproperly,youshouldlooka little like someone trying to examine their right toenails inthe leasteffectivemanner—right foot inhand, torsoandrightleginaVandleftlegstickingouttryingtomaintainbalance.

BicycleCrunch

1Lieflatonyourbackwithyourlegsextendedstraightalongthe floor and your hands at both sides of your head, fingerstouchingyourtemples.

2 Raise your feet 6 inches off the floor while simultaneouslycontractingyourrectusabdominisandliftingyourupperbackand shoulders off the floor. In onemovement, bend your leftkneeand raiseyour left leg so that the thighandshinareat90°;rotateyourtorsousingyourobliquemusclessothatyourrightelbowtouchestheinsideofyourleftknee.

3Rotateyourtorsobacktocenterandloweryourupperbodytowardthefloor,stoppingbeforeyourshoulderstouch.

4Extendyourleftkneeandreturnyourfootto6inchesoffthefloorandbendyourrightlegto90°.Contractyourabs,rotateandtouchyourleftelbowtotheinsideofyourrightknee.Thisis2reps.

Superman

1Lyingfacedownonyourstomach,extendyourarmsdirectlyoutinfrontofyouandyourlegsbehindyou.Keepyourkneesstraightasifyouwereflying.

2Inaslowandcontrolledmanner,contractyourerectorspinaeand raise your arms and legs about 6–8 inches off the floor.Holdfor5seconds.Lowerslowlybacktostartingposition.

Squat

1 Stand tall with your feet shoulder-width apart and toespointed slightly outward, about 11 and 1 o’clock. Raise yourarmsuntilthey’reparalleltothefloor.2Bendatthehipsandkneesand“sitback”justalittlebitasifyou were about to sit directly down into a chair. Keep yourheadup,eyesforwardandarmsoutinfrontofyouforbalance.As you descend, contract your glutes while your body leansforwardslightlysothatyourshouldersarealmost inlinewithyour knees. Your knees should not extendpast your toes andyourweightshouldremainbetweentheheelandthemiddleofyour feet—donot rollupon theballsof your feet.Stopwhenyourkneesareat90°andyourthighsareparalleltothefloor.If you feel your weight is on your toes or heels, adjust yourpostureandbalanceuntilyourweightisinthemiddleofyourfeet. Squats should be a very stablemovement—that is, untilyoutrytheone-leggedvariety!Push straight up from your heels back to starting position.

Don’tlockyourkneesatthetopoftheexercise.Thisis1rep.AIRSQUATVARIATION:Forthisversion,loweryourselfintoasquatpositionthenswingyourarmsupandexplodestraightupintheair.Landsoftlyonyourfeet.

SquatwithMedicineBall

1 Stand tall with your feet shoulder-width apart and toespointed slightly outward, about 11 and 1 o’clock. Hold amedicineballatchestlevel.

2Keepingtheballinfrontofyou,performatraditionalsquat.Whenyourkneesnear90°,stopandslowlyreturntostanding.

3Exhaleandraisetheballstraightupoverhead.Slowlylowertheballbacktochestlevel.

WallSit

THEPOSITION:Placeyourbackflatagainstastablewallandwalkyourfeetout,slidingyourbackdownthewall,untilyourupperandlowerlegsareata90°angle.Keepingyourheadup,coreengagedandspinestraight,breathenormallyasyoubegin

tocount.Youcanplaceyourhandsonyourknees ifyouneedextra support, let them hang by your sides, or raise themoverheadorstraightout.

BALL VARIATION: Place a stability ball between your backand the wall and perform a traditional wall sit. This reallyworksatonofconnectingmusclesinyourlowerbodyandcore.

ForwardLunge

1Standtallwithyourfeetshoulder-widthapartandyourarmshangingatyoursides.

2 Take a large step forward with your right foot, bend bothknees and drop your hips straight down until both knees arebent90°.Yourleftkneeshouldalmostbetouchingthegroundand your left toes are on the ground behind you. Keep yourcoreengagedandyourback,neckandhipsstraightatalltimesduringthismovement.Pushing up with your right leg, straighten both knees and

returntostartingposition.Repeatwiththeotherleg.

REVERSE VARIATION: Reverse lunges are just like theirforward counterparts, but begin by taking a step backward.These can be slightlymore difficult tomaintain your balanceandareabitbetter foractivatingsupportingmuscles inyourpelvis,legsandcore.

LungewithTwist

1Standtallwithyourfeetshoulder-widthapartandbothhandsonoppositesidesofamedicineball,elbowsslightlybent.

2–3Keeping the ball directly in front of you, step forward (orbackward) with your right foot to start the lungemotion. Asyouloweryourhips,twistyourcoreandswingtheballlaterallytoyourrightuntilbothkneesarebent90°andyourarmsareextendedandholdingthemedicineball totheright,90° fromwhereyoustarted.

Returntostartingpositionandrepeattotheotherside.

MarchingTwist

1 Stand tall with your feet shoulder-width apart. Bring yourarmsinfrontofyouandbendyourelbows90°.

2Twistyour torso to the leftandraiseyour leftkneetoyourrightelbow.

3Repeatwithyourrightkneeandleftelbow.Alittlehopwiththebottomfoothelpsyoukeepyourmomentumgoingfromlegtoleg.

MountainClimbers

1Assumethetoppositionofapush-upwithyourhandsdirectlyunderyourshouldersandtoesontheground.Keepyourcoreengagedandyourbodyinastraightlinefromheadtotoe.2 Lift your right toe slightly off the ground, bring your rightknee to your chest and place your right foot on the groundunderyourbody.

3Withaverysmallhopfrombothtoes,extendyourrightfootback tostartingpositionandat thesametimebringyour leftkneetoyourchestandplaceyourleftfootonthegroundunderyourbody.Continueswitching,makingsuretokeepyourhipslow.

ADVANCED VARIATION: This advanced move really worksthe core (it’s essentially a plankwith a lot of legmovement)andstrengthensyourglutesandhips. Insteadofhoppingandswitching your legs, you’ll bring your right knee toward yourrightshoulderandthenextenditstraightoutbehindyou(this

is the “mule kick,” so lift your foot as high as possiblewhilekeeping your hips firmly in place; do not rock or raise yourbutt!). Without touching your foot to the ground, bring yourright knee toward your left shoulder before extending it foranother mule kick. Lastly, raise your leg laterally (picture amale dog around a fire hydrant) and bring your knee towardyourrightshoulder,thenfinishthemovewithyetanothermulekickbeforereturningyourrightfootbacktostartingposition.Nowrepeatwithyourleftleg.

Burpee

1Standtallwithyourbackerect,feetshoulder-widthapartandtoesrotatedslightlyoutward.

2 Shift your hips backward and “sit back” for the squat,keeping your head up and bending your knees. Lean yourweight forward and place your hands on the floor, inside,outsideorinfrontofyourfeet—whicheverismorecomfortableandgivesyouanice,stablebase.3Kickyourfeetstraightbacksothatyou’renowinapush-upstarting position, forming a nice line from your head to yourfeet.Keepyourcoretighttomaintainanerectspine.

4Inhaleasyouloweryourtorsotowardthefloorforapush-up.Stopwhenyourbodyis1–2inchesfromthefloor.

5Exhaling,straightenyourarmsandpropelyourentireupperbodyoffthefloorwhilesimultaneouslybendingyourkneesandbringing them toward your chest in order to plant your feetunderneathyou.Youshouldendupbackinthebottompositionofasquat.Takeaquickbreath.6Swingyourarmsstraightoverhead,exhaleandpushofffromyour feet to jump straight up in the air as high as possible.Landwithyourkneesslightlybenttoabsorbtheimpact.That’s1rep.

Inchworm

1Standwithyourfeetabouthip-widthapartandfoldoversothatyourhandstouchthefloor.

2–3 Keeping your hands firmly on the floor to balance yourweight,walkyourhandsoutinfrontofyouoneatatimeuntil

you’reatthetopofapush-up.Holdfor3seconds.

4–5 Keeping your hands firmly on the floor to balance yourweight,“walk”yourfeettowardyourheadbytakingverysmallsteps on your toes. Imagine that your lower legs are boundtogetherandyoucanonlybendyourfeetateachankle.Asyoucontinue walking your feet toward your head, your butt willrise and your body will form an inverse “V.” When you’vestretchedyourhamstrings,glutesandcalvesasfarasyoucan,holdthatpositionfor3seconds.That’s1rep.RIPPED VARIATION: Every time you return to startingposition,performaproper-formpush-up.

WoodChop

1 Stand tall with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding amedicineballinfrontofyou.

2Loweryourbodyintoasquatuntilyourkneesarebent90°,andbringtheballdowntotouchyourleftfoot.

3 Stand tall, twisting your torso to the right and lifting yourarmsstraightupoveryourhead.Your leftshouldershouldbeinfrontandyoushouldbelookingtotheright.Repeattotheotherside.MODIFICATION: This can also be done without a medicineball.

J-Up

1Standbeneathapull-upbarwithyourfeetslightlywiderthan

yourshoulders.2–3Loweryourbodyintoasquat.Atthebottomofthesquat,placebothhandson theground just in frontofyour feetandextend both feet straight back until your body is in push-upposition, with your core engaged and body in a straight linefromheadtotoe.

4Loweryourchesttowardthefloor.5Whenyour chest is about3 inches from the floor,useyour

arms,shouldersandchesttoexplosivelypushupyourtorsosothatyourhandsleavetheground;simultaneouslypullyourfeetbackunderyourbodyintothebottomsquatpositionwithyourkneesbent.6Raiseyourhandsdirectlyoverheadandperformanairsquat,jumpingstraightuptograbthepull-upbarwithyourpreferredgrip(seePull-UpGripVariations,page71).

7Useyourupwardmomentumtopullyourchestuptothebar.8Pullyourelbowsintoyourbodyandholdthatpositionwhileyou raise both knees toward your chest. Don’t swing when

raising your legs; you’ll activate your core a lot to keep yourbody straight, pull your knees up as straight as possible and“touch” the bar. Due to the differences in torso size andflexibility,someofyouwon’tbeabletotouchyourkneestothebar;justbringyourkneesupasfarasyoucanandbecarefulnottohityourelbows!9Extendbothlegsbeneathyou,releasethebaranddropyourfeet to the floor with your knees bent to absorb the impact.That’s1rep.

APPENDIX

BeyondtheProgram

So what do you do after you’ve achieved your lean,ripped body? The beauty of the

programisthatyounowknowalltheexercisesyouneed to strengthenand shredyourbodyandcandothematanytime!Withallthemovesyou’velearnedcombined with the cardio components and games,there are literally millions of exercise combinationsyou can use to build your own routines. Get creativeand mix things up from week to week. You’ll beamazedbyhowmuch funyoucanhavewhilegettingfit. Want to challenge yourself to new goals in theroutine? Add an additional set to each workout ordouble the cardio components—there are no badcombinationsas longasyou takeat leastonedayoffbetweenworkoutsanddon’tovertrain.

Full-BodyExercises:ACompleteWorkoutAllbyThemselves

Multijoint movements, commonly called compound exercises,are an efficient way to get a full-body workout done in lesstime.Inthisbookwe’vecoveredmanyexercisesthatuseyourbodyweight and natural movements to achieve a completeworkout. These exercises (squats, pull-ups, wood chops, in&outs,etc.)canbecombinedormodified tobuildstrengthand

musclequickly.Toputitinaphrase,“Themorejointsthatareworked, themoremuscle fibers are activated and the betteryourresultswillbe.”

There are many factors that make compound exercisesextremely effective at building a lean, ripped body. Here’s aquickoverview:

• By activating more muscle fibers, you place a greaterdemandonyourbodyandrapidlyconsumemoreenergythanwhenperformingisolationmovements.This inturnhasametaboliceffect,helpingyouburnfatmorequickly.

•Whenyouactivatemultiplemusclegroupsbymovingononeormoreplanes,youalsostimulateandstrengthenagreatdealofstabilizingmuscles.

•Real-lifeactivitiesdon’thappenwhilesittingonabenchlifting a weight on a cable—natural movements are onmultipleplanesusingmultiplemusclesatthesametime.Training with compound movements improvesperformanceinathleticsaswellasregulardailyactivity.

•Multijointmovements are extremely efficient, activatingmore muscle fibers in less time than when performingmultipleisolationexercises.

Here are a few of my favorite multijoint “advanced”movementsthataren’tnotedintheprogramsinthisbookbutcanbefoundintheexercisessection(PartIII).Givethematry!AROUND-THE-WORLD MULE KICK MOUNTAINCLIMBERS (PAGE 101) As a marathoner, my hips alwaysseemtobeoneofthefirstthingstohurtduringlongmileage,and I needed to find an exercise I liked thatwouldworkmyhipsonmultipleplanes.I’mnotahugefanofsittingonahipabductormachine,andthesingularplanedoesn’treplicatetherunning motion too well, in my opinion. So I developed“Around-the-World Mule Kick Mountain Climbers” (inretrospect,Icould’vecomeupwithamoreclevernameasan

advanced variation of the mountain climber). This exercisecombines a series of moves (plank, mountain climbers, mulekicks)andaddsahipmovementonthreedifferentplanes.Myglutes, hips and core really get a workout from doing thisexercise,Ihopeyoulikeit,too!WhenI’mdoingtheprogram,I’llswapadozenorsooftheseinplaceofstandardmountainclimbers.INCHWORM(PAGE104)Thisisacomplexstrength-buildinglocomotion exercise (like walking lunges, bear crawl,spidermanandothers)inwhichyoumoveforwardtofinishinadifferent location. When I’m doing the

program,occasionallyI’llreplaceasetofpush-upswith10 of the advanced version of the inchworms. This is one ofthoseexercisesthatneverfailstogetacoupleofcuriouslookswhenI’minthegymand“doingtheworm.”J-UP(PAGE107)NamedafteritscreatorJasonWarner,theJ-up is an all-in-one, full-body, total-workout exercise. It’s beendescribed by some as the “perfect exercise,” and once youmaster it you’ll agree! The J-up is an extreme compoundexercise that combines all of the “Power 4” moves (pull-up,squat, push-up, plank) and then increases the difficulty bymaking twoof themovesplyometric.Essentially, the J-up isacompletefull-bodycircuitworkoutrolledintooneexercise.While on the surface it may sound simple to combine all

theseexercises,therearecertainnuancestotheformofeachmove that you need to master separately before combiningthem into one series of movements. Foot position on yoursquatsisextremelyimportant,asisbentkneesonlandingbackon the ground after the pull-up and knee raise. This intenseseries will require some practice to master hand and footpositionandcontrolyourbodyinallthedifferentphases,fromfloortobarandbackagain.

Interestedinmoreexercisesthatdidn’tmakeitinprint?Check out 7weekstogettingripped.com, where we’llcontinuetoaddexercises,tips,tricksandtechniques.

We’veperfectedthismoveoverthecourseofacoupleyearsatdifferentgymsandparksbyusingpull-upbars,thetopbarof aSmithmachine, junglegyms, etc.Practice it ona securebarathomeandthenrockitoutwithhighintensityatagym.You’llbeabsolutelyamazedathowmanypeopleaskyouwhatthemoveisandhowtodoit.WhenJasonandIdid100each,asmallgroupofpeoplewatchedandcheeredusonatourlocalgym.

MaintainingYourRippedPhysique

One of my favorite maintenance workouts involves devotingone day a week (most often Wednesday) to high-intensitytraining intervals (HIIT). I’ll run up a hill for 30 seconds andthenjog/walkbackdownaboutfor1minuteandrepeatfor20minutes. After 5 minutes of resting, stretching and re-hydrating, I run for30minutesatamoderatepace, trying tokeep my heart rate at around 125 bpm (see “Finding YourTargetHeartRate”onpage127).Theothertwodaysoftheweek(usuallyMondayorFriday),

I’ll pick a routine from the book, jog to a local park andcomplete three to four rounds before jogging back. OnSaturday or Sunday I’ll either play a few of the games withfriends,challengemyselfwithacoupleroundsof“HotCorner”orplaysomeorganizedsports.Keepyourroutineflexibleandmixitupasoftenasyoucan.

SelectonedayamonthandchallengeyourselfwithasmanyJ-upsasyoucandoorretakethe“Power4”test.Youhaveallthetoolstostayfitandhealthy—it’sreallyuptoyouhowyouusethem.Numerousstudiesshowthatpeoplewhostayactivelivealonger,happierlife.Usewhatyou’velearnedinthisbookto

keepyourselfmotivatedtostayfitandinspireotherstodothesame. It’sextremelyeasy tobecomea“fitness rolemodel” toothers once you have success; make sure you take that roleseriouslyandhelpotherstoachievetheirfitnessgoals.

EATINGTOGET—ANDSTAY—RIPPED

As we covered earlier, to get ripped you should eatapproximately1gramof leanproteinperpoundofyourdesiredweight.Ifyourgoalistobe165lbattheendofthisprogram,thenyouwanttoeat165gramsofproteina day. Good sources of protein include lean beef andpoultry, eggs, fish, yogurt (especially Greek), tempeh,nutsandlegumes,quinoa,oatsandmilk.Eatingchickenand fish is generally considered the quickest andhealthiestwayto increaseyourprotein intake:4ouncesofgrilledchickencontainsabout32gramsofprotein.Toget enough protein, you may need to supplement withsomeprotein powder. Anywhey proteinwill do—egg ormilk—butbecarefulof theamountof sugar thepowdercontains. Optimally, you should try to find a proteinpowderthathaslessthan1gramofsugarforeverygramofprotein (e.g., 24gramsofproteinwill have less than2.4gramsofsugar).So,ifupto50%ofourdailyintakeisprotein,doesthat

meancarbsandfatscansplittheremaining50%?Simplyput,yes,providedyouobtaingoodsourcesofeach.Good fats—mostly unsaturated—include avocados; oils

like olive, safflower, corn, peanut and coconut; poultry;seeds;nuts; fishand flaxseed; eggs; and lean redmeat.Avoidprocessedtransfatsaltogether,likethosefoundinsnackfoods,margarine,prepareddessertsandfastfood.Trytokeepfatsto20–25%ofyourdailynutrientintake.Carbohydrates are an important sourceof energy, but

youneed to separate thegood carbs from thebad. The

best carbohydrates come from green leafy vegetables,either rawor steamed. Themore you cook veggies, themoremineralsandvitaminsarelost.Allothervegetables,beans, legumes, nuts and seeds are also healthy carbsources. Whole-grain breads and pastas are okay inmoderation, but quite often contain extra sugars andotherless-healthygrains.Becausebreadsandpastasaremanufactured foods it’s important that you check thenutritionalfactsonthelabelbeforeyoubuy.

Warm-Ups&Stretches

Aswediscussedonpage30, since you’ll bepushing,pressing and lifting your bodyweight, it’s veryimportant to warm up before you stretch. Stretchingprior to warming up can cause more damage thangood to muscles, ligaments and joints. When yourmusclesarecold,they’refarlesspliableandyoudon’treceive any benefit from stretching prior towarmingup.Belowaresomedynamicwarm-upsthat’llgetyourheartrateup,loosentightmusclesandprepareyouforyourworkout.

After yourworkout, stretchingwill help you reduce soreness,increase range of motion and flexibility within a joint ormuscle, and prepare your body for any future workouts.Stretching immediately postexercise while your muscles arestillwarmallowsyourmuscles toreturnto their full rangeofmotion(whichgivesyoumoreflexibilitygains)andreducesthechanceofinjuryorfatigueinthehoursordaysafteranintenseworkout.It’simportanttorememberthatevenwhenyou’rewarmand

loose,youshouldnever“bounce”duringstretching.Keepyour

movements slow and controlled. The stretches in this sectionshould be performed in order to optimize your recovery.Remember to exhale as you perform every deep stretch andrest30secondsinbetweeneachstretch.

Warm-Ups

ArmCircle

1Standwithyourfeetshoulder-widthapart.

2–3Movebotharms inacompletecircle forward5 timesandthenbackward5times.

LumberJack

1 Standwith your feet shoulder-width apart and extend yourhands overhead with elbows locked, fingers interlocked, andpalmsup.

2Bendforwardatthewaistandtrytoputyourhandsontheground(likeyou’rechoppingwood).Raiseupandrepeat.

SideBend

1 Standwith your feet shoulder-width apart and extend yourhands overhead with elbows locked, fingers interlocked andpalmsup.

2–3Bendsidetoside.

AroundtheWorld

1 Standwith your feet shoulder-width apart and extend yourhands overhead with elbows locked, fingers interlocked, andpalmsup.Keepyourarmsstraighttheentiretime.

2–4Bending at the hips, bring your hands down toward your

rightleg,andinacontinuouscircularmotionbringyourhandstoward your toes, then toward your left leg and then returnyourhandsoverheadandbendbackward.Repeatthreetimes,thenchangedirections.

BarnDoors

1 Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart with your armstight against your sides. Bend your arms 90° so that yourforearmsextendforwardandareparalleltothefloor.Gripyourhandslikeyouhavearubberbandbetweenthem.

2 Keeping your forearms parallel to the floor, squeeze yourshoulder blades together and pull your hands apart to thesides.Do10–12repetitions.

VARIATION:Thiscanalsobedonewithaband.

ChestFly

1AssumetheBarnDoorsposition (above)withyourhands infrontofyourtorso,thenraiseyourhandsandelbowsstraightup,maintainingthe90°angleuntilyourelbowsareatshoulderheight.2 Squeezing your shoulder blades together, pull your handsaway from each other until your hands are parallel to yourears.Do10–12repetitions.

MarchingTwist

1 Stand tall with your feet shoulder-width apart. Bring yourarmsinfrontofyouandbendyourelbows90°.

2Twistyourtorsototherightandraiseyourleftkneetoyourrightelbow.

3Repeatwithyourrightkneeandleftelbow.Alittlehopwiththebottomfoothelpsyoukeepyourmomentumgoingfromlegtoleg.Do10repsoneachleg.

JumpingJacks

1Standtallwithyour feet togetherandarmsextendedalongyoursides,palmsfacingforward.2 Jump6–12inchesoff thegroundandsimultaneouslyspreadyourfeetapartanadditional20–30incheswhileextendingyourhandsdirectlyoverhead.Jump6–12inchesoffthegroundandreturnyourhandsand

feettothestartingposition.Do10reps.

Stretches

Forearm&Wrist

1 Standwith your feet shoulder-width apart and extend botharmsstraightoutinfrontofyou.Keepyourbackstraight.Turnyour rightwrist to the sky and grasp your right fingers frombelowwithyourlefthand.Slowlypullyourfingersbacktowardyourtorsowithyourlefthand;holdfor10seconds.2Swaparmsandrepeat.

Shoulders

1Standwithyourfeetshoulder-widthapartandbringyourleftarmacrossyourchest.Supportyourleftelbowwiththecrookofyourrightarmbyraisingyourrightarmto90°.Gentlypullyour left arm to your chestwhilemaintaining proper posture(straight back, wide shoulders). Don’t round or hunch yourshoulders.Holdyourarmtoyourchestfor10seconds.

2Releaseandswitcharms.Afteryou’vedonebothsides,shakeyourhandsoutfor5–10

seconds.

Shoulders&UpperBack

1 Standwith your feet shoulder-width apart and extend botharms straight out in front of you. Interlace your fingers andturnyourpalmstofaceawayfromyourbody.Keepyourbackstraight.

2Reachyourpalmsawayfromyourbody.Exhaleasyoupushyour palms straight out from your body by pushing throughyour shoulders and upper back. Allow your neck to bendnaturallyasyouroundyourupperback.Continuetoreachyourhandsandstretchfor10seconds.Rest for 30 seconds then repeat. After you’ve done the

secondset,shakeyourarmsoutfor10secondstoyoursidestoreturnbloodtothefingersandforearmmuscles.

Chest

1 Clasp your hands together behind your lower back withpalmsfacingeachother.2 Keeping an erect posture and your arms as straight aspossible,gentlypull yourarmsaway fromyourback, straightout behind you. Keep your shoulders down. Hold for 10seconds.Restfor30secondsandrepeat.

Arms

1 Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Maintaining astraightback,grabyourelbowswiththeoppositehand.Slowlyraise your arms until they’re slightly behind your head.Keepingyourrighthandonyourleftelbow,dropyourlefthandto the topof your right shoulderblade.Gentlypush your leftelbowdownwithyourrighthand,andholdfor10seconds.Restfor10secondsandthenrepeatwithoppositearms.

LowerBack

1 Lying face-down on your stomach, extend your arms alongtheflooraboveyourhead,palmsontheground.Keepingyourkneesstraight,extendyourlegsbehindyou,keepingyourfeetclosetogetherandyourtoesontheground.

2 In a slow, controlled motion, contract your lower back(erectorspinae)andraiseyourarmsandlegs6–8inchesoffthefloor.Holdfor5seconds.Lower slowly back to starting position. Repeat slowly 10

times.

Neck

1 Standing like a soldier (with your back straight, shoulderssquareandchestraised),slowlyloweryourlefteartoyourleftshoulder.Toincreasethestretch,youmayuseyourlefthandtogently pull your head toward your shoulder. Hold for 5–10seconds.

2–3 Slowly roll your chin to your chest and then lower yourrighteartoyourrightshoulder.Again,youmayuseyourhandtoenhancethestretch.Holdfor5–10seconds.Return your head to normal position and then tilt back

slightlyandlookstraightup.Holdfor5–10seconds.

Cardio&Games

“Ugh. Cardio.” To most fitness enthusiasts, cardioworkisjustaboring,tedioustime-eaterattheendofaworkout.Gettingthemostoutofyourcardio,however,doesn’t mean you need to spend an hour on anoversized hamster wheel just to fulfill a quota.Anything that involves you getting active and raisingyourheartratecounts.

Use the following list of cardio components as a guide forraisingyourheartrate,buildingyourendurance,strengthandflexibility,andburningmorecaloriesandfat.Beinventive:Tossamedicineballagainstawallorwithapartner,jumprope,hopover cones, bound up some stairs or, my personal favorite,dancewithyourkids.Likethesayinggoes,“Dancelikenooneiswatching.”Attheendofeachdailyworkoutisabasicideaofhowmuch

time you should put in for cardio. It’s not set in stone andvaries greatly on the exercise you choose and your intensity.The more effort you put into your cardio, the more quicklyyou’ll be done. Mix and match a few different moves, likejumpingropeandshadowboxing,toworkyourwholebody,andyou’llbe sufficiently smokedand ready for the showerbeforeyouknowit.Team or individual sports also count as excellent cardio.

Sometimes the best way to get a great workout, as well as

renew the spirit, is to grab a partner and engage in somefriendlycompetition.Playsomeone-on-onebasketballorshootaroundbyyourself togetagoodburn.Formore ideas,checkout “Fitness Games” on page 130. The key to games, bothwinningandgettingagreatworkout, is intensity—theharderyou compete, the better the results and the more fun you’llhave,fuelingthedesiretodoitagain.Allofthegamesprovideabitofeverythingyou’llneedtoget

rippedsodon’tfretoverwhichisbest;justfindthosethatworkforyouandhavefunwiththem.Astimegoeson,createyourownandhaveevenmorefun!

Ifyou’reoutdoors,especiallyneartraffic,alwaysbeawareofyoursurroundings!

FINDINGYOURTARGETHEARTRATE

Inordertooptimizefatburning,it’simportantforyoutocalculate your resting heart rate (RHR) and use that tofindyourtargetheartrate(THR).To calculate your maximum heart rate (MHR) (the

theoretical maximum beats per minute your heart canphysicallyhandle):

220–YOURAGE=MHRTocalculate60%ofyourMHRtokeepyourcardiointhefat-burningzone(orTHR):

220–YOURAGExDESIRED%=THR

InordertomakeyourTHRpercentageevenmoreaccurate,youneedtoknowyourrestingheartrate(RHR).TakeyourHRfirstthinginthemorning

whenyouwakeupandusethisformula:(220–YOURAGE–RHR)xDESIRED%+RHR

=THRNotethatyousubtractyourRHRbefore

multiplyingbythedesiredHR%andthenaddyourRHRbackin.

CardioComponents

JUMPINGJACKS

Yougymteacherwasright—you’llusethisexercisefortherestof your life. Don’t settle for just a boring old set of jumpingjacks—adda twist, lunge or side-step andmake it a full-bodymove.CheckoutMarchingTwistsbelowforanotherwaytomixitup.

SHADOWBOXING

Thegoodnewsaboutshadowboxingisthatyourshadowwon’tbe punching you back, although after about threeminutes ofvigorous punches and footwork you might be wishing forsomeonetoknockyouout!Trytimingyourselfforaminuteatnormal intensity and then punch like crazy for the next 30seconds.It’samazinghowexhaustingyetcatharticitcanbetogetyouraggressionsout.

JUMPINGROPE

Weallknowthatboxers jumpropeasaway to improve theiragility,timingandcardiovascularsystem,aswellaskeepthemlean, so why don’t you try it, too? There are many differentvariations like speed-step, crisscross, side swing, doubleunder…sogetaropeandgetjumping!

STAIRS

Most buildings have these contraptions and most folks walkrightpasttograbtheelevator.Sincenooneelseseemstousethem,maketheseyourplayground.Sprintup,walkdown;taketwo steps at a time; bunny hop upwith both feet together…whateverworksforyouaslongasyou’recarefulanddon’ttakeatumble.

MARCHINGTWISTSpage

Can you do the can-can? With your arms at 90°, twist yourtorsoandraiseyourleftkneetoyourrightelbow.Repeatwithyourrightkneeandleftelbow…andputalittlerhythmintoit!A little hop with the bottom foot helps you keep yourmomentumgoing fromlegto leg.Startslowandworkuptheintensity,eventhrowinsomeintervals(SeeMusicIntervalsonthenextpage)toreallyraiseyourheartrate.Feel freetogetcreative,workinsomelunges,jumpingjacksandothermovesandcreateyourownaerobicsroutine!

MEDICINEBALLTOSSES

The medicine ball, long a tool for doing core exercises, isfabulousasagamepropwhetheryoudotossesbyyourselfbythrowing the ball against the ground/wall or toss it back andforth with a partner. I recommend starting with a lighterweight andprogressing to a heavier one as you’re able. (Seepage130forexamples.)

AIRSQUATSpage

Theseareexactlyasthenameimplies—squatswhereyoucatch

someair.

BURPEESpage

Thisgreat,full-bodyworkoutcanbedoneanywheretoworkupasweatandtargetyourarms,chest,glutes,quads,hamstrings,calves and core. To spice it up, add a push-up, plank ormountain climberswhen you’re in push-up position. If you’rereadytoreallygetnuts,theJ-Up(page107)isthebigbrother(we’retalkingAndretheGiantbig)ofburpees.

SPRINTINTERVALS

Choose a few different spots no farther than 25 yards apart.Set down a marker and alternate jogging, bounding, highknees, butt-kickers, crossover side bounds and sprintingbetweeneachpoint.Ifyou’reonasportsfieldoraflat,grass-covered surface, try sprinting barefoot,which has helpedmestrengthen my feet, ankles and calves. Take it easy at first!(See“HotCorner”onpage134formoredetails.)

TREADMILLINCLINEINTERVALS

Hoponatreadmillandstartat0inclineandamoderatespeed.Every2minutes,raisetheincline.5andraisethespeedby.5.See how high you can go! Also try doing Music Intervals(below) by raising the speed/incline each time your songs hitthe chorus—be creative. Never exceed a speedthatyoucanhandleandmakesureyou’recomfortablebeforeattemptinganyhighinclinesandratesofspeed.

HITTHEDECK

Runinplacefor30seconds,droptothegroundwithyourchestflat on the floor, perform an explosive push-up and return toyour feet and repeat. Decrease duration 5 seconds eachrepetitionuntilyouhit0.

MUSICINTERVALS

Thiscanbedoneonanycardioequipmentandalsoworksgreatwith all calisthenics and sprints. Pop your earphones in andcrank the tunes.During the versesof the song,performyourexerciseatmoderatepace;whenthechoruscomesin,upyourintensityto80%.Ifyou’reluckyenoughtohaveaguitarsolo,tryandhit100%!

FitnessGames

Herearejustafewideastogetyoustarted.Visitourwebsite7weekstogetting ripped.com for additional tosses that didn’tmakeitintoprint.

MEDICINEBALLLONGESTTOSS

Thegoal is tocreateasmuchdistancebetweenyouandyourpartner by tossing a medicine ball back and forth using avarietyof throwingtechniques.This involvesa lotof jumping,squattingandtwisting,somakesureyou’rewarmedupbeforeattempting any of them. NEVER try to catch athrownmedicineball.Letitbounce,asalltheinstructionssaytodo!

2

Using4cones,place2conessidebysideandtheother2about10feetapart.Standnexttoapairofconesandface your partner, who’s standing next to the other pair ofcones.Choosewhogoes first.Begin tossing theballas farasyoucantowardyourpartner’scones.Yourpartnerwillmoveoneofhisconestothatspot;hemakeshisnext throw from there,whether it’s fartheror closer thantheoriginal10feet.Keeptheotherconeattheoriginal10-footstartingposition.Eachofyouwillperformthe10tossesbelowtodetermineawinnerforeachround.Thewinneristhepersonwhose cone is still closest to the other cone in its originalstartingposition.A match is played by alternating through the following

tosses:TOSS1: Withyourarmsextendedstraightoverhead with the ball between both hands, keep both feetplanted (no steps allowed) and pointed directly at yourpartner’s cone. Lean back slightly, engaging your core andlowerbackmuscles.Donotbendyourelbowstobringtheballbehind the topofyourhead;yourarmsshouldalwaysremainstraight. Rapidly contract your core, bring your whole upperbodyforwardandreleasetheball.Youshouldbethrowingtheballwithyourcore,notyourarms.TOSS1

TOSS2

TOSS3

TOSSES4&5

TOSS2: Withyour feetpointingdirectlyat your partner, assumea squat positionwith the ball on thegroundbetweenyour feet.Putyourhandsunder theballandshoveltheballforwardasyouexplodeupward.Yourarmsarejustguidingtheball;youshouldbethrowingtheballwiththeexplosiveforceofyourlegs.

TOSS3: Startinasquatwithyourbackfacingyourpartnerandexplodeupward,swingingtheballupoveryourheadandthrowingitbehindyou.Thisistraditionallyresponsible for the longest throws and engages your entirebody.Feelfreetoletoutastronggruntwhenyouexplodefromtheground.TOSSES6&7

Ifyou’recompetingfordistance,limittheheightofthearc.TOSSES4&5: Place the ball in one hand next toyour shoulderwith your palmup anduse your other hand tosteadyit.Yourfeetshouldpointdirectlyatyourpartnerandinthe direction you’ll be tossing. Squat straight down (don’ttwist)and,whenyou’vereachedthedeepestpartofyoursquat,explodeupward,leaveyourfeetandtosstheballasfarasyoucantowardyourpartner’scone.Whilethismoveusesa lotofarmmuscle, you’ll be using farmore force from your legs tolaunchtheball.Alternatebetweenhandsforthrows.TOSSES6&7 : Startwith your feet pointed90°inrelationtoyourpartnerandthedirectionyouintendtothrow theball.Hold theball in yourhandwith yourpalmupandsteadyitwithyourotherhandwhileyoulowerintoasquatand twist to the side holding the ball. At the bottom of thesquat, you should have twisted far enough so that the ball isalmost completely behind your shoulder. Uncoil while you’reexploding upward and throw the ball completely across yourbody towardyourpartner’scone.This throwusesa lotof legandarm strength, but also the torsion of your core, to chucktheball.Alternatebetweenhandsforthrows.TOSS 8: With your arms extended straightoverhead with the ball between both hands, keep both feetplanted (no steps allowed) and lean back slightly, engagingyourcoreandlowerbackmuscles.Donotbendyourelbowstobring theball behind the top of yourhead; your arms shouldalwaysremainstraight.Rapidlycontractyourcore,bringyourwholeupperbodyforwardandreleasetheball,throwingitashardasyoucanintothegroundtogetittobounce.Youshouldbe throwing the ball with your core, not your arms. Thedistanceismeasuredbywheretheballstopsrolling.Onerule:The ball must hit the ground within 5 feet of where you’restanding.

TOSSES 9 & 10: With ball in hand,stand with both feet pointed at your target and lift the footoppositefromtheballofftheground.Squatdownasfarasyoucan without letting your “up” foot touch and launch upwardfromyouroneleg,extendingyourarmtoreleasetheball.Thisisanexcellentmovetoimproveyourbalanceandstrength,butalsoagreatwaytoendtheroundasoneofyouisboundtoloseyourbalanceandnottosstheballveryfar.Ifyourraisedfoottouchestheground,it’safoulandyoumustre-shoot.Alternatebetweenhandsforeachtoss.

TOSS&RUN

1

Throwamedicineballasfaraspossibleusinganunderhandtechnique.Oncetheball isreleased,sprintafter itas fast as you can.Gather themedicineball and throwagainuntilyou’vereachedtheendofthefield.Repeatwithnorest,going back down the field to the starting position. Repeat asdesired.Alternatemedicineballthrows,too.

LEAPFROG

There’snowinnerorloserinthisgame—justexhaustyourselfandyourpartner.

2

Both players start at an end line or cone. Onepersonstartsthegamebythrowingthemedicineballasfaras

possible using an overhand forward toss. Both players sprintafter the ball as soon as it’s released. The nontossing playergathers the ball and throws it farther down the field. Theoriginal tosserwill already be sprinting past him to catch upwith the newly thrown ball. Repeat up and down the field,changingdirectionsasneeded.TOSS8

TOSSES9&10

Alternateeachtossasfollows:overhandforward,underhandforward,shotput.

OUT&BACKSPRINTS

Winthegamebybeingthelastonestanding.

2+

Startwith2playerssidebysideatapairofcones.One player tosses the ball using either an overhand forward,underhand forward or shot put toss. The other player sprintsafter theball,picks itupoverhisheadandsprintsbackwiththeballoverhead.Becarefulandkeepagoodgripontheballoveryourhead.Whenthesprintermakesitbacktothestartingposition, switch roles (if you have more than 2 players, justrotate so everyone gets a turn). The first one to call it quitsloses.

BALLSPRINTS

Footballs, soccer balls, tennis balls, rugby balls or evenAustralianrulesfootballs—we’veexperimentedwitheachand love them all. The games you find here are asmattering of what’s possible when you use yourimagination with what you have on hand. The rule toremember inthissection is throworkicktheballreallyfarandrunlikehellafterit.

PUNTERS

This is one of our “go-to” games to make sprinting andspeedwork funwhile stillhavinganelementofgameplay.Anabsolute blast with anywhere from 2 to 4 people (any moreseemstogettoochaotic),thisisbestplayedonasoccerfield,butimprovisationwillallownearlyanygrassyfieldtosuffice.

2–4

Everyonestartsattheendlinenearasoccergoal.One person punts a football as far as he can, the rest sprintafter the ball. The first person to touch the ball gainspossession and the right to attempt to score a goal. Fromwheretheballwastouched,theplayergainingpossessionhastwotriestoscoreagoalbypuntingtheballdownfieldandthenintothegoal.Threepointswillbeawardedifagoalisscoredinone kick, one point if in two kicks. After a goal attempt iscompleted, a new round starts with the person gainingpossession in the previous round as the new punter. AnAmerican football bounces so erratically you never knowwhat’ll end up in the net! To make the game a little morepredictable, use a soccer ball. Tomake itmore international,usearugbyball.

TENNISBALLTOSSES

I use this whenever I need to get a workout but am notmotivatedtodosprints.

1

In any open, grassy field, throw a tennis ball ashighandfarasyoucan.Assoonasyoureleaseit,sprintafteritand try to catch it before it hits the ground. If you catch itbeforeitbouncesonce,that’s3points.Ifitbouncesonce,giveyourself1point.Ifitbouncesmorethanonce,yougetzeroforthattoss.Playagainstyourselfto21forakillerworkout.

HOTCORNER

Ready for a great workout that’s essentially circuit trainingwitharaceelement?Findasoccer fieldandabuddyandgetready!

1–8

This is ideally played on a soccer field, thoughanywhere you canmark off stations will suffice. Break downthe field intosections,eachone fora specificmovement.Seethediagramoppositeforasamplebreakdown.Thisgame/raceis all about intensity, soget creative!Adda flight of stairs, ahilloranythingelsethatstrikesyourfancy.Station1 is the startingandendingpoint.Ateachpointon

the field designated in the diagram, perform a specificmovementtypeasquicklyaspossibleandthenmoveontothenextsegment.

Station1:10Standardpush-upsStation2:10Diamondpush-upsStation3:10Widepush-upsStation4:10Narrowpush-upsStation5:10Standardpush-ups

Run1:RunbackwardfromStation1toCore1Run2:Highknees/plyoskipsfromCore1toStation2Run 3: Side to side from Station 2 to Station 3. At thehalfwaymark ofRun 3, rotate 180 degrees to use bothsidesofyourbody.Run4:ButtkicksfromStation3toCore2Run 5: Lunges from Core 2 to Station 4 SPRINT!:Explodeupfromthelastpush-upandgo!

Highkneesarealsoknownasplyometricskips.

Buttkicks

DIAGRAMOFHOTCORNER

Core1:20In&outcrunchesCore2:20Mountainclimbers

Everyone starts at Station 1,whichwould be a corner of thesoccerfield—it’sboththestartingandendingline.Assoonas

“GO”isyelled,everyonedropsanddoes10standardpush-ups.When you finish the push-ups, run backward to the center ofthe soccer field forCore1 (20 in&out crunches).Whenyoufinish the crunches, bound down the field to Station 2 doinghigh knees (also known as plyometric skips). Perform 10diamond push-ups at Station 3 and then start side-to-sidesdowntheendlineofthesoccerfield(you’llbepassingdirectlyin front of the goal). Once you reach the halfway point (themiddleofthegoal),turnaround180degreesandfinishtherestofthewayusingyourotherside.Thesecondhalfofthisgameiswhereitgetsreal.Consider

thefirsthalfagentlewarm-up!At Station 3 perform 10wide push-ups, then run down the

fieldperformingbuttkicksasfastasyoucantowardCore2.AtCore2, do20mountain climbers (10 each side).Once you’refinished with mountain climbers, do forward walking lungesuntilyoureachStation4,whereyou’lldo10narrowpush-ups.Onyour last push-up, explodeup into a full sprint across thesoccerfieldtoStation5.Assoonasyoucrosstheboundarylineat Station 5, drop and do 10 standard push-ups. The firstpersontocompleteallthisisthewinner.Toreallyshredupfast,that’sjustthefirstofafewroundsof

the Hot Corner. After completing the first round, rest 3–5minutesandhydratebeforeyournextround.Ifyou’reusingtherightamountofintensity,Iwouldn’trecommendmorethanoneround until you’re already in great shape and your body cantakeit.TrustmewhenIsaythattheHotCornerwillbeoneofthemostfunbutalsohardest4minutesofyourlife.Remember: The Hot Corner is also a great individual

workout!Getoutandgetmotivatedforafantasticworkout!

Prep-LevelProgram

Welcome to the Prep program, a fantastic place to

startandanawesomeopportunityformenandwomenof all fitness levels to build the full-body strengththey’ll need to complete theprograms inPart II. ThePrep level builds progressively over threeweeks andpacksalotoftrainingandlearningintothatshortspanof time. It’s imperative that you use this program tonot only build your strength and stamina, but also tomasterallofthemovementssoyoucanperformthemrepeatedlywithgoodform.Agreatdealofpeoplewillrepeat the Prep programuntil they’re ready tomaketheleapintoLevelI.

You’ll find instructions for the exercises either after the Prepprogramtestonpage142orinPartIII.ThePrepprogramisakick-off for newcomers to full-bodyworkoutswork but it alsoworksverywellasamaintenanceprogramforstayinginshapeafter you’ve completed Level I or Level II. This program candoubleasaneffective“on the road”workout thatyoucandovirtually anywhere—a hotel room, on a camping trip, evenbackstage.

PrepProgramTips

Take thisworkoutat yourownpace if you’renew toworkingout or coming back after some time away.DONOTOVERDOIT! (Did Imake thatboldenough?)YouWILLbe sore for1–2daysafter your first fewworkouts, and if youoverdo it you’llmiss subsequent workouts. This happens to nearly everyonewhentheystartaworkoutregimen—don’tletithappentoyou.Thegoalwithassistedpull-upsandknee/wallpush-ups isto

get you strong enough to perform the movements withoutassistance by the end of the Prep program. For some peopleit’ll take longer to achieve the minimum (5) pull-ups for theLevel I program. Don’t get discouraged! You can repeat the

Prep program as many times as you’d like to build yourstrength and increase the intensity on the other exercises.Here’sa littlesecret:ThePrepprogramwillgetyoustrongerandmoreripped,too!Huge gains in strength and fitness are nice but about as

realistic as expecting theToothFairy slipping aC-noteunderyourpillow.Aslongasyouputintheeffort,you’llgetresults.Persistenceand intensityalongwith theworkoutprograms inthisbookareallyouneedtogetripped.Nothing ismoremotivating than having a “before” picture,

whetheryoupostitonyourfridgeorkeepitonyourphone.It’sreallyimportanttoseewhereyouweresoaftercompletinganyprogramyoucanseeyourimprovements.You’ll alwaysmiss someworkouts, nomatter howhard you

tryandprepare—lifegets in theway.Don’tbediscouraged ifyoumissaday—justslideyourroutinebackadayfortherestoftheweekandstartagainonMonday.Ifyoumissedaweek,justrestartthefollowingMonday.Don’tgiveup.Thegoalisn’t“7weeks”; it’sallaboutyougetting inthebestshapeofyourlife. Even if it takes six months of stops and starts, the endresultistotallyworththeeffort!

PrepProgramTest

Congratulations on completing the Prep program! Now is agreattimetotestyourprogress.Takeatleast2fulldaysofrestandtaketheintrotestofthe“Power4”movesagain:

•MAXNUMBEROF PULL-UPS (2:00 rest, write down

yourresults)•MAXNUMBEROFSQUATS(2:00rest,writedownyourresults)

•MAXNUMBEROFPUSH-UPS (2:00 rest,write downyourresults)

• MAX TIME HOLDING A PLANK (write down yourresults)

Catchyourbreath,hydrateandrelax.Checkyourresults toseeifyoushouldretakethePrepprogramormoveontoLevelI.

KneePush-Up

1 Kneel and place your hands on the ground approximatelyshoulder-widthapart.Walkyourhandsforwarduntilyourbodyformsastraightlinefromheadtoknees.

2Inhaleandloweryourupperbodytowardthefloor,stoppingwhenyourchestisabout3inchesfromthefloor.Usingyourarms,chest,backandcore,exhaleandpushyour

bodybacktostartingposition.

WallPush-Up

1 Placeyourhandsonawall about shoulder-widthapart andposition your feet as far away from the wall as you feelcomfortable.Thefartheryourfeetarefromthewall,theharderthe move will become. Engage your core to keep your backstraight and your body in a straight line from head to feet;don’tleanyourheadforward.2 Inhale as you lower your entire body toward the wall,stoppingbeforeyourheadtouches.Exhaleand,usingyourchestandarms,pushyourbodyaway

fromthewallbacktostartingposition.

AssistedPull-Up

Safetynote:

WITH A SPOTTER: Your spotter should place his hands onyour shoulder blades (a really good one will even help yousqueezeyourshoulderbladestogetheratthestartofthemove)and provide smooth assistance upward and downward inrelation to thebar.Neverassistbyholdingsomeone’s feet—ifyourhands slip off thebar, you’ll head toward the floor face-first.

WITH A BAND: Loop the band over the bar and rest yourkneeonthelowerloop.Makesureyou’restableandthebandwillnotslipbeforeyoubegin.

WITHACHAIR (ORSTOOL): Place a stable chair or stoolclose enough to the bar that you can place your feet on it ifnecessarytocompleteamove.

AustralianPull-Up

1Lyingfaceup,extendyour feetdirectly in frontofyouwiththebackofyourheelsincontactwiththefloor.Thebarshouldbepositionedslightlyaboveyourchest.Reachupandgrabthebar;tightenyourcoresoyourspineiserectandyourbodyisinaperfectlinefromheadtoheels.2 Engaging the large broadmuscles of your upper back andsqueezingyourshoulderblades together,pullyourselfupand

touchyourchesttothebar.Slowlyreturntostartingposition.

HalfSquat

1Standwithyourfeetslightlywiderthanshoulderwidthandhandsextendedparalleltothegroundinfrontofyou.2Keepingyourarmsextended in frontofyou forbalance, sitback with your hips and then bend your knees, descendinguntilyourupperlegsareata45°angletoyourlowerlegs.Returntostartingposition.

CHAIRVARIATION: Place a chair or bench behind you andperformaproper-formsquat, stoppingwhenyourbehind justbarelytouchesthebenchthenreturningtostartingposition.

Index

AirSquatsArmCircleArmsStretchAroundtheWorldAround-the-WorldMuleKickMountainClimbersAssistedPull-UpAustralianPull-Up

BalancednutritionBallsprintsBarnDoorsBicycleCrunchBodyweightexercises,importanceBreathingBurpeeButtKicks

CardioworkChestFlyChestStretchCommandoPull-UpCompoundexercisesCoremusclesCrunches

DeterminingyourlevelDiamondPush-Up

EquipmentExercisescardiogamesprep-levelstretchingwarmingup

FacebookpageFAQsFitnessgames5-secondabsexercisesFlutterKickForearm&WristStretchForwardLungeFrequencyofworkoutsFull-bodyexercises

Games“GettingRipped”programexercisesFAQsinjuriesLevelILevelIImaintenanceandnutrition“Power4”testpreparationprep-levelprogramsstretchingwarmingupGripvariationsforpull-ups

HalfSquatHangingLegRaiseHeartrateHigh-intensityintervaltraining(HIIT)HittheDeckHotCorner

In&OutInchwormInjuries,avoidingIntensityofworkoutsIntervals

J-UpJumpingJacksJumpingrope

KneePush-Up

LeapfrogLegClimberLevelILevelIILowerBackStretchLumberJackLungewithTwist

MaintenanceMarchingTwist

MasonTwistMedicineBallLongestTossMedicineBallPush-UpMedicineballtossesandexercisesMountainClimbersMovermusclesMulti-jointmovementsMuscleschartMusicintervals

NeckStretchNutrition

OutandBackSprints

PhotographsPlank,standardPlanksPlateaueffectPlyometricSkips“Power4”TestPrep-levelprogramPull-Up,standardgripvariationsPull-upsPuntersPush-Up,standardPush-ups

RepsRestingandrecoveringReverseCrunch

ShadowboxingShoulders&UpperBackStretchShouldersStretchSideBendSidePlankSorenessandworkoutsSpeedofworkoutsSprintIntervalsSquatwithMedicineBallSquatsStairclimbingStretchingexercisesSuperman

TPush-UpTabataintervalsTargetheartrateTennisballtossesTimeofdayandworkoutsTossandRunTreadmillinclineintervals

V-Sit

WallPush-UpWallSitWarmingupexercisesWaterWebsiteWeightlossWidePush-UpWomenandbodyweightexercises

WoodChopWorkoutsfrequencyintensitysorenessspeedtimeofday

Acknowledgments

ThankyoutoJasonWarnerforhelpingmecreatetheprogramsinthisbookandbeingagreatsourceofsupportandinspiration—even from the other side of the world. Residing inMurrayBridge, Australia, Jason created and wrote the games in thisbook based on the workouts we developed in Scottsdale,Arizona,from2008–2010.WithoutJason’sfriendship,guidanceandcommitmentto , thisbookandprogramswouldn’thaveexisted.SpecialthankstoSteveSpeirs,LewisElliotandCoreyIrwin

for their contributions; to Mike DeAngelo for the continuedsupport and encouragement he has provided for my writing,trainingandathletics; toKristenandVivi forall the loveandunderstandingaswellasdealingwithmeconstantlybeingonmy laptop or out training; and tomyparents andbrother fortheirunwaveringsupportoftheirlittleBooey.

AbouttheAuthor

Brett Stewart is a National Council for Certified PersonalTrainers (NCCPT)–certified personal trainer, a running andtriathlon coach, and an endurance athlete who currentlyresides in Phoenix, Arizona. An avid multisport athlete andIronmanfinisher,Bretthasraceddozensoftriathlons,multiplemarathons and even a few ultra-marathons. He is constantlylooking for new fitness challenges and developing newworkoutsandroutinesforhimself,hisfriendsandhisclients.Aproudhusbandandfather,Brettistheauthorof

andcanbecontactedat7weekstogettingripped.com.

TextCopyright©2012BrettStewart.Designandconcept©2012UlyssesPressanditslicensors.Photographscopyright©2012RaptProductionsexceptasnoted

below.Allrightsreserved.Nopartofthispublicationmaybereproduced,storedinaretrievalsystem,ortransmittedinanyformorbyanymeanswithoutthepriorwrittenpermissionofthepublisher,norbeotherwisecirculatedinanyformofbindingorcoverotherthanthatinwhichitispublishedandwithoutasimilar

conditionbeingimposedonthesubsequentpurchaser.

PublishedintheUnitedStatesby

UlyssesPressP.O.Box3440

Berkeley,CA94703www.ulyssespress.com

eISBN:978-1-612-43036-2

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DistributedbyPublishersGroupWest

PleaseNote:Thisbookhasbeenwrittenandpublishedstrictlyforinformationalpurposes,andinnowayshouldbeusedasasubstituteforconsultationwithhealthcareprofessionals.Youshouldnotconsidereducationalmaterialhereintobethepracticeofmedicineortoreplaceconsultationwithaphysicianorothermedicalpractitioner.Theauthorandpublisherareprovidingyouwithinformationinthis

worksothatyoucanhavetheknowledgeandcanchoose,atyourownrisk,toactonthatknowledge.Theauthorandpublisheralsourgeallreaderstobeawareoftheirhealthstatusandtoconsulthealthcareprofessionalsbeforebeginninganyhealth

program.