Featured Workout: The Punisher

Punisher Workout

This week's featured workout was used to get actor Thomas Jane in superhero shape for the 2004 film "The Punisher". It utilized a method of strength training intended to induce muscle growth called Hypertrophy Specific Training. The method was popularized following an October 2000 ThinkMuscle newsletter article by fitness writer Bryan Haycock, which discussed methods he and his clients had been using for several years. Haycock says that the training method arose out of "physiological principles of hypertrophy discovered in the laboratory," and that these principles were then organized into a weight training method meant to induce hypertrophy. In this workout the aim is to focus for two weeks on endurance (15 reps), two weeks for hypertrophy(10 reps), and strength for 4 weeks (5 reps, then 1 rep).

A linear periodization program, this is how HST works: You do 3 total body workouts per week. For two weeks you do 15 reps per exercise per workout. Than 2 weeks of 10 reps, then 2 weeks of 5 reps, then 2 weeks of 1 rep, then take 2 weeks off. You pick 2 exercises per body, and try to pick compound multi joint lifts per exercise. A typical workout might look like this:

Squat: 2x15

Stiff Legged Dead Lift: 2x15

Bench Press: 2x15

Incline Press: 2x15

Military Press: 2x15

Dumbbell Press: 2x15

Lat Pull down: 2x15

Bent Over Rows: 2x15

Barbell Curls: 2x15

EZ Bar Curls: 2x15

Close Grip Bench: 2x15

Pushdowns: 2x15

You would do a workout like this MWF, each workout try to lift more, but do not go under 15 reps. Then after two weeks do 10 reps, and so on.

Punisher Workout

Monday:

4 sets of 10 reps each:

Pec deck

15-degree-incline dumbbell press

Barbell Bench Press,

Dips

barbell curl

dumbbell curl

reverse curl.

(28 sets total)

Tuesday:

4 sets of 10 to 15 reps each:

leg extension,

leg press,

parallel squat, then three long sets of walking lunges.

Next, do 4 sets of 12 to 15 reps of standing calf raise and seated calf raise.

(23 sets total)

Thursday:

10 to 15 reps per set:

lat pulldown (3 sets)

front pulldown (3 sets)

neutral-grip one-arm row (4 sets)

wide-grip seated row (3 sets)

Then 10 reps per set:

lying triceps extension (3 sets),

triceps pushdown (4 sets),

V-bar triceps pushdown (3 sets)

reverse triceps extension (4 sets)

(27 sets total)

Friday:

10 reps per set:

dumbbell shrug (4 sets),

barbell shrug (2 sets),

dumbbell seated military press (4 sets)

lateral raises (3 sets)

front raise (3 sets),

reverse fly (3 sets),

lying hamstring curl (3 sets),

one-leg hamstring curl (3 sets),

straight-leg deadlift (4 sets).

(29 sets total)

Next week's feature work out will be from the hit film "The 300"