Muscle up in 16 minutes - Muscle & Strength

IT'S NO SECRET: Guys like to work their legs about as much as they want to hear girls gush about Brad Pitt. But even that pretty boy is walking on twigs. In fact, BP's legs are so skinny, the director of his upcoming movie Troy called in a body double--which is strangely satisfying. Trouble is, if the poster boy of the ab fad doesn't get a pass on lower-body development, no one does.

But you don't have to sacrifice your trophy muscles--chest, shoulders, and arms--to fit in some hard-core leg time. Just use this simple plan. It's designed to build your lower body in just five moves per workout while hitting your mirror muscles faster and more effectively than ever. So you'll fix your sticks and work the rest of your body without busting your ass for hours.

The best part? After this workout, the phrase "You're no Brad Pitt" will take on a whole new meaning. (At least to you.)

HOW TO DO IT Perform each workout once a week for four weeks, doing Workout 1 (lower body) and Workout 2 (upper body) on consecutive days, resting a day or two, then completing Workout 3 (lower body) and Workout 4 (upper body) on consecutive days.

Repetitions and weights: Use the heaviest weight possible that allows you to complete all the prescribed repetitions for each set of each exercise.

Speed of movement: Next to each exercise, you'll find a recommended "tempo" with which you'll do each repetition of each exercise. You'll see it designated as three digits--311, for example. The first numeral is the number of seconds you should take to lower the weight, the second number is the length of the pause, the third number is the time it should take you to lift the weight. If you see an X instead of a numeral, do that part of the movement as fast as you can.

Targeted Muscle Groups

WORKOUT 1

This lower-body workout emphasizes your quadriceps.

WORKOUT 2

During this upper-body session, you'll focus on your chest, shoulders and back.

WORKOUT 3

You'll target the hip-dominant muscles--your hamstrings and glutes--in this lower-body workout.

WORKOUT 4

This upper-body workout hits your chest, lats, and arms.

Workout 1

LOWER Body

[check] Perform each pair of exercises (1A and 1B, 2A and 2B) as a superset, doing one set of each before resting. (For 3, see the directions next to the exercise.)

[check] Do a total of four sets of each exercise before moving on to the next pair of exercises. So you'll complete all sets of 1A and 1B before doing 2A and 2B.

[check] Rest 90-120 seconds between each pair of exercises.

1A FRONT SQUAT REPS: 4-6 TEMPO: 512

* HOLD THE BAR across the front of your shoulders.

* RAISE YOUR UPPER arms until they're parallel with the floor.

* THE BAR WILL roll back so it's resting on your fingers.

* SET YOUR FEET shoulder-width apart.

* KEEP YOUR BACK naturally arched for the entire lift.

* LOWER YOUR BODY until your thighs are at least parallel with the floor.

* AS YOU DESCEND, keep your lower legs nearly perpendicular to the floor.

1B BACK SQUAT REPS: 8-12 TEMPO: 31X

* USE THE SAME weight that you used for the front squat, and make sure you do at least twice as many reps of this move as you did with the front squat.

* REST THE BARBELL across your upper back, not on your neck.

* SET YOUR FEET shoulder-width apart.

* KEEP YOUR BACK naturally arched for the entire lift.

* LOWER YOUR BODY until your thighs are at least parallel with the floor.

* AS YOU DESCEND, keep your lower legs nearly perpendicular to the floor.

* YOUR KNEES SHOULD track in the same direction as your feet. If they don't, readjust your foot position. For most guys, performing the move with the toes pointed out slightly--about 45 degrees--is about right.

2A BARBELL LUNGE REPS: 10-12 TEMPO: 11x

* HOLD THE BARBELL across your upper back, not on your neck.

* SET YOUR FEET shoulder-width apart.

* STEP FORWARD WITH your right foot.

* LOWER YOUR BODY until your front knee is bent 90 degrees.

* YOUR FRONT LOWER leg stays perpendicular to the floor.

* ALTERNATE THE LEG you step forward with for each repetition.

* KEEP YOUR TORSO upright throughout the entire exercise. It'll be easier if you pull your shoulders back, stick your chest out, and keep your eyes looking straight ahead.

2B SISSY SQUAT REPS: 5-6 TEMPO: 603

* DO ONE SISSY squat for every lunge you were able to perform.

* HOLD A WEIGHT plate across your chest with one arm.

* GRAB ON TO a rack or sturdy surface with the other arm.

* KEEP YOUR BACK naturally arched for the entire lift.

* LOWER YOUR BODY by pushing your knees forward and rise up on your toes.

* KEEP YOUR BODY in a straight line from your knees to your shoulders.

* WHEN THAT LINE starts to curve, return to the starting position.

* IMAGINE YOU'RE DOING the limbo, only don't allow your back to bend backward.

3 STANDING CALF LADDER REPS: (SEE BELOW) TEMPO: 11X

* USE A WEIGHT that allows you to complete, at most, 15 reps.

* DO 10 REPS, then rest 10 seconds.

* REPEAT, ADDING ONE rep and one second of rest until you've made it to 15 reps. (So you'll do 11 reps, rest n seconds, 12 reps, rest 12 seconds, and so on.)