Cross Training – Part 2 of 3

Being an advocate of all-around body strength as a way to run stronger, prevent injury, and generally be healthier overall, having sufficient upper body and core conditioning are essential.

It is not necessary to join a gym to achieve adequate results as bodyweight conditioning alone can provide significant improvements in strength. In fact, an office-based bodyweight workout program is an efficient and productive way to realize such gains (the office-based routine was previously discussed in Part 1 of this story).

A couple of helpful tools to assist you would include a sit-up mat and a pull-up bar. A pull-up bar can either be installed in your office or you can use a convenient doorway system like the P90X.

Your routine will consist of a circuit between sit-ups, pull-ups and push-ups. Strive to complete three to six of these complete cycles each workday.

Push-ups:

20 standard push-ups, followed immediately by 10 triangle push-ups, followed immediately by 10 spread eagle push-ups, followed immediately by 10 standing pushups.

This basically works almost all of the upper body muscle sets, starting with the lower pectorals and finishing with the shoulders.

Beginner: Beginners should attempt 3:1:1:1 and slowly work up to 5:2:2:2, attempting 2 sets per day.

Intermediate: Intermediates should cut the Dean Routine in half, both in the number of reps and the number of sets per day.

Sit-ups:

30 quarter leg-ups, followed by a 15 second break (lactic acid flush), followed immediately by 25 quarter leg-ups, followed immediately by 25 crunches, followed immediately by 20 raised-leg quarter sit-ups.

This essentially recruits most of the muscle sets of the abdomen and lower back, starting with the lower abdominal region and working up.

Beginner: Beginners should attempt 5:15 second break:3:3:2 and slowly work up to 8:15 second break:5:5:3, attempting 2 sets per day.

Intermediate: Intermediates should cut the Dean Routine in half, both in the number of reps and the number of sets per day.

Pull-ups:

Set 1: 15 standard pull-ups. Set 2: 15 bar behind the neck pull-ups. Set 3: 15 chin-ups.

After completing a set of the push-up/sit-up routine, I follow immediately with 15 standard pull-ups. After completing a second set of the push-up/sit-up routine, I follow immediately with 15 bar behind the neck pull-ups. After completing a third set of the push-up/sit-up routine, I follow immediately with 15 chin-ups. I repeat this same 3-variances cycle in sets 4 through 6 of the complete Dean Routine.

Pull-ups are an important element for build lat strength. Adding chin-ups to the mix give the biceps a workout.

Beginner: Beginners should attempt 1-2 of each 3-varienaces and slowly work up to 3-4 of each, attempting 2 sets per day.

Intermediate: Intermediates should try 5-7 of each 3-varienaces, attempting one set of all three each workout day.

This link might provide some further insight into what the pull-up routine looks like: DEAN ROUTINE

Okay, let the cross-training commence!

Dean