Fast Track to Flex Appeal

"Man's got to know his limitations." Spend enough time in the gym and you gain an acute appreciation of what Clint Eastwood meant with that immortal line. Eventually, we all run up against the limitations of whatever workout system we're using. Some help make us bigger, some help make us stronger, some help make us leaner, but none seems to do all three at once.

While I agree that it's often more efficient to pursue one goal at a time, the workout system I created for my new book, Huge in a Hurry, allows you to multitask. You'll build size and strength, thanks to the intense challenge to all your muscle fibers from the high-speed reps. And you'll get leaner, thanks to the maximum-effort sets. Try it for four weeks, and you'll see that your limitations aren't really all that limiting.

Your 4-week flex plan

In just three workouts a week, you'll build bigger, stronger muscles while whittling your waist down to size

Directions: Do each workout once a week, with at least a day (48 hours total) between workouts. Instead of performing a specific number of sets, do the total number of reps designated for each exercise—regardless of how many sets it takes you.

Here's how it works: For each exercise, follow the guideline for the amount of weight you should use, which includes a repetition range for your first set. For example, suppose it prescribes four to six reps. You want this to be a challenging weight, of course, so choose what you think is the heaviest weight that allows you to lift at least four reps but no more than six. Then simply do as many sets as you need to complete the total number of reps for that exercise. (If you do fewer reps in subsequent sets, that's fine.)

One more guideline: Perform every rep of every exercise as fast as possible with good form, without pausing at any point. Stop the set if you're slowing down or if your form changes—for example, your range of motion shortens or you need to cheat to finish a rep.

Workout A

• 25 total reps per exercise
• 4-6 rep range, first set
• 45 seconds of rest between sets

1. Chin-Up (or Underhand-Grip Lat Pulldown)

Using an underhand, shoulder-width grip, start the set from a dead hang with your knees bent and ankles crossed behind you [A].

Pull yourself up as fast as possible until your chest touches the bar [B].

If you can't do that many chinupsor don't have access to a chinup bar, do underhand-grip pulldowns on a straight bar with your hands about shoulder-width a part.

2. Dumbbell Bench Press

Grab a pair of dumbbells and lie on your back on a flat bench. Start with your arms straight, holding the weights directly over your chest [A].

Lower them to the sides of your chest [B], and then immediately push them back to the starting position.

3. Front Squat

Grab a barbell with a shoulder-width grip and place it in front of you across the tops of your shoulders. Now raise your upper arms until they're parallel to the floor, allowing the bar to roll back onto your fingertips [A].

Without letting your elbows drop, lower your body by pushing your hips back and bending your knees until your thighs are at least parallel to the floor [B]. Push your body back to the starting position.

4. Barbell Lying Triceps Extension

Grab an EZ-curl bar or a barbell with an overhand grip, your hands a little less than shoulder-width apart. Lie on a flat bench and hold the bar over your chest with your arms straight [A].

Without moving your upper arms, bend your elbows to lower the bar until your forearms are past parallel to the floor [B]. Pause, and then lift the weights back to the starting position by straightening your arms.

Workout B

• 40 total reps per exercise for each arm or leg
• 10-12 rep range, first set
• 60 seconds of rest between sets

1. Dumbbell One-Arm Row

Stand in a staggered stance, your left foot in front of your right. Hold a dumbbell with your right hand and bend at your hips until your torso is nearly parallel to the floor. Let your right arm hang straight down from your shoulder, your palm facing your left leg [A].

Pull the weight to the side of your torso [B] and then lower it. Do all of your reps, and then switch to your left arm.

2. Dumbbell One-Arm Shoulder Press

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell with your right hand just above and outside your right shoulder. Your palm should be turned toward your head [A].

Push the weight straight up over your shoulder [B], lower it, and repeat without pausing. Do all your reps, and then switch arms.

3. Barbell Reverse Lunge

Hold a barbell across your upper back and stand with your feet shoulder-width apart [A].

Keeping your torso upright, step back with your left leg and lower your body until your right thigh is parallel to the ground and your left knee nearly touches the floor [B]. Push yourself back to the start. Do all your reps with your left leg, and then repeat with your right leg.

4. Standing Calf Raise

With a dumbbell in your right hand, stand on a step and put your left hand on something for balance. Cross your left foot behind your right ankle, and balance yourself on the ball of your right foot.

Lower your right heel as far as you can [A], and then lift it as high as you can [B]. Do all your reps with your right leg, and repeat the move with your left leg.

Workout C

• 50 total reps per exercise
• 20-22 rep range, first set
• 75 seconds of rest between sets

1. Cable Standing Face Pull

Attach a rope handle to the high pulley cable and grab the ends with an overhand grip. Stand back so your arms are straight and the cable is taut [A].

Pull the rope toward your chin as you rotate your forearms toward your ears [B]. Reverse the motion as you return to the starting position, and repeat without pausing.

2. Push-Up

Assume a pushup position, with your hands slightly wider and in line with your shoulders and your body aligned from ankles to shoulders [A].

Lower your body as far as possible [B], and then quickly push yourself back to the start. If traditional pushups are too easy, elevate your feet using a bench or Swiss ball.

3. Romanian Deadlift

Stand holding a bar at arm's length with a shoulder-width, overhand grip. Your knees should be slightly bent [A].

Keeping your back naturally arched, lower your torso until it's nearly parallel to the floor [B]. Immediately raise your torso back to the starting position.

4. Standing Hammer Curl

Holding a pair of dumbbells, stand with your feet hip-width apart. Let your arms hang straight down from your shoulders, and turn your palms so they're facing each other [A].

Curl the dumb-bells up as high as you can without moving your upper arms forward [B], and then lower the weights to the starting position.

For more workouts and training advice, pick up your copy of Huge in a Hurry, by Chad Waterbury, available anywhere books are sold.

Abs in No Time

Get ripped fast

In these days of bogus infomercials, fat-burning concoctions, and fitness contraptions that promise incredible abs, there's something reassuring about a workout with a medicine ball. The heft of a vintage medicine ball makes us want to put on gray sweats and start heaving it around with the fellas, grunting contentedly. On the other hand, you can take the vintage thing too far. Leather is out; vinyl is in. Medicine balls now have easier-to-grab surfaces, and they come in many sizes and weights. (They still need a new name, though. Medicine?!)

What are you waiting for?

Here's a leave-me-alone, in-a-hurry, 21st-century set of exercises that uses the weight of a medicine ball to blast your belly from top to bottom, and your obliques on the sides—those all-important muscles you use when doing twisting, turning moves in sports. The workout was designed by Jacqueline Wagner, C.S.C.S., a strength coach in New York City. The added weight of the medicine ball will give you a more intense workout than you'll get with conventional crunches.

Use a ball that's light enough so you can do one set of each exercise without straining or arching your back. A good weight for ab workouts is a 4-kilogram medicine ball (just shy of 9 pounds). Start with one circuit and build up to three sets of the circuit. Use a slow, controlled movement for the Double Crunch and Reverse Crunch.

Double Crunch

Starting position: Lie on your back, with your hips and knees bent as shown and your feet off the floor. Rest your hands lightly on your chest. Position the ball between your knees.

The move: Exhale as you lift your shoulders off the floor and bring your knees toward your chest. Grab the ball with your hands and bring it to your chest as you inhale and ...

The finish: Return your shoulders and legs to the starting position. Transfer the ball back to your legs on the next repetition, and keep alternating ball positions for the entire set.

Seated Twist

Starting position: Sit on the floor, your back straight but leaning slightly toward the floor, as if in the "up" position of a sit-up. Your knees should be bent 90 degrees, your heels about 15 inches apart and resting on the floor.

The move: Hold the ball close to your chest, rotate your torso to the left, and place the ball on the floor behind you. Rotate around to the right, pick up the ball, rotate left, and place it behind you.

The finish: Repeat eight to 12 times, then do eight to 12 more starting with a rotation to your right; that's one set.

Hint: Keep your head in line with your torso throughout the movement. Perform this move as quickly as possible.

Reverse Crunch with Knee Drops

Starting position: Lie on your back, hands resting on the floor at your sides, hips and knees bent 90 degrees, and feet off the floor. Position the ball between your knees. Keep your lower back on the floor throughout the exercise.

The move: Contract your abdominals and pull your knees to your chest, then return them to the starting position.

The finish: Lower your knees to the left and return to the starting position. Drop your knees to your right on the next repetition, and alternate sides for each rep.

We Busted Our Weight Loss Plateaus

Our experts helped three women get the scale moving and drop their most stubborn fat
You ate better, exercised more, and watched with joy as your efforts were reflected in the descending numbers on the scale, until, that is, the movement just stopped. A weight loss plateau is undeniably frustrating, but it's also normal: In an analysis of 80 studies on dieters, researchers found that weight loss typically halts after 6 months, according to a report in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association. And that stalling can last weeks, months, or even longer.

The Solution: We asked a team of experts—a nutritionist, a certified personal trainer, and a psychologist—to work with these three women for 8 weeks to get the scale moving again, fast. The experts pored over the women's diets, exercise regimens, everyday habits, and attitudes, then offered adjustments to their routines and new strategies to help them restart their fat-burning engines. Their advice can help you reach your weight-loss goals too.

The Experts

Diet: Lisa R. Young, Ph.D., R.D.: Adjunct professor of nutrition at New York University and author of The Portion Teller Plan: The No-Diet Reality Guide to Eating, Cheating, and Losing Weight Permanently.

Exercise: Chris Freytag: Prevention's fitness columnist, creator of over a dozen fitness DVDs, and author of three books, including The 2-Week Total Body Turnaround.

Attitude: Ann Kearney-Cooke, Ph.D.: Psychologist specializing in body image, emotional eating, and weight; and author of Change Your Mind, Change Your Body: Feeling Good about Your Body and Self after 40.

"I broke a 4-year weight loss stall!"

Chrissy Brennan, 44

A three-time New York City Marathoner, Chrissy Brennan now finds it hard to remember the accomplished runner she once was. Her recent attempts at exercise and eating right are erratic, frequently falling victim to the long days at her high-stress marketing job. Having worked at health and fitness magazines for nearly a decade prior, Chrissy is well versed in weight loss: She's read the science on exercise and knows how to incorporate healthy foods, yet she's often overcome by cravings, especially at night. The result: a creeping gain of about 20 pounds and a years-long plateau.

Expert Strategies

Diet

"Chrissy eats pretty well during the day, but after work her diet falls apart," says Young. "She gets home late and grabs whatever is in arm's reach."

To help break that pattern, follow these guidelines:

Eat real meals. Like many dieters, Chrissy tries to save calories by having a handful of crackers and cheese for lunch. "But a big salad with 3 ounces of chicken and a small whole wheat roll is more filling and more nutritious and has about as many calories," says Young. Also, having a more satisfying breakfast and lunch will help prevent overeating at night.

Prepare reheatable foods. It's tough to cook when it's late, so Chrissy should make a batch of grilled chicken on the weekend so she has lean protein ready to go. Other simple staples: frozen vegetables, instant brown rice, and figure-friendly frozen fruit or fudge pops to satisfy a sweets craving.

Exercise. Chrissy has time to work out only in the mornings and sometimes can't get herself going. But to jump-start weight loss, she needs 4 or 5 days of cardio sessions and two or three strength-training workouts every week.

To stay motivated:

Vary each workout. She can go running one day, walking or biking the next; when she doesn't feel like heading out, she can pop in a workout DVD.

Keep track. Write down how many minutes, miles, and sets: A journal keeps you more accountable and therefore more likely to follow through, says Freytag.

Attitude

A cookie might make a stressful day feel brighter, but before giving in, Chrissy should practice being mindful of her decisions so she avoids making bad ones, says Kearney-Cooke.

Here's how:

Ride out a craving. Hold off a little before indulging. If she still wants the cookie after 15 minutes, she should have it. But waiting helps develop the capacity to delay gratification, and that's key to success.

Her results

Lost 11 pounds and 1/2 inch off her waist

"Stocking up on easy-prep meals made a difference in my diet: Lentil soup and veggie burgers are my go-to dinners, and while I admit I wasn't excited about frozen fruit pops for dessert, they do satisfy my cravings well enough. What I did love right away was working out with DVDs--doing so helped get me back in the habit of regular exercise. I feel more balanced now, and I'm thrilled with the results."

"I shed 2 1/2 inches from my middle!"

Donna Coulson, 61

After hovering at around 145 pounds for the better part of a decade, Donna Coulson upped her exercise, trimmed her portions, and dropped 10 pounds of the 15 that are her goal, and then the scale got stuck. Part of the reason, she believes, is her jam-packed schedule.

As a self-employed career coach and professional speaker, Donna travels often and works long hours, which takes a toll on her energy levels and eating habits. Though she tried subbing more salads and soups into her diet and squeezing in workouts as best she can, her weight hadn't budged for 3 months.

Expert Strategies

Diet

Donna tends to skip lunch, then overeat at her frequent client dinners. Nibbling on a few ounces of cheese beforehand can help control her hunger, says Young. Metabolism also slows as we age; to keep hers revved, Donna should stick to a three-meal, two-snack day.

Try these tips to keep calories in check:

Work fiber and protein into every meal. Both help regulate blood sugar and keep you feeling fuller longer. Donna can add a few nuts to her cereal, opt for fiber-rich bean soup, and toss tuna in her salad.

Swap in low-calorie sweets. She loves Mallomars, but one serving has 120 calories. Young suggests Donna try meringue-type cookies, which have the same light texture but fewer calories, or have one or two Hershey's Kisses (about 20 calories each).

Exercise. Every weekend, Donna logs 6 miles with her walking club, and she tries to hit the weight machines a few days a week. Her consistency is good, says Freytag.

To see more results, she needs to:

Pick up the pace. Donna strolls when she walks, which is great for socializing, not for fat burning, says Freytag. Adding intervals can burn more calories, and studies show it also helps shrink more belly fat.

Do Pilates once a week. "The risk of injury from a fall increases as we get older," explains Freytag. It's important that Donna add core-building and flexibility workouts to her regimen to improve her balance.

Attitude

Donna gives tirelessly to everyone in her life, but to sustain weight loss, you have to make yourself a priority.

How to stay focused:

Set aside 75 minutes a day for health. That's about how much time most people need to follow a weight loss plan, says Kearney-Cooke. "Make a pie chart of how you spend your time now; then make another chart that allots 45 minutes for exercise, 15 minutes for relaxation, and 15 more for food prep."

Her Results

Lost 4 pounds and 2 1/2 inches off waist

"I learned that if you do what you've always done, you'll get what you've always gotten. Now I walk faster, lift more weight, and do Pilates. I miss my Mallomars, but when I crave chocolate, I'll have an apple, then a Hershey's Kiss, and that does the trick. Though I'm still pretty busy, I am more committed to me: I exercise before work and pack a snack before every late-night event. I have more energy, I dropped two sizes, and I'm still losing weight!"

"I lost 60 pounds, then lost 10 more!"

Lisa Spodak, 39

Last year, Lisa Spodak shed 60 pounds with exercise and Weight Watchers, but then losing got harder. For months, she dropped and regained the same few pounds, with much frustration. Lisa has struggled with her size for more than 25 years, since she was in her early teens. She's lost similar amounts of weight in the past, but when she hit a plateau, she gave up and put it all back on. This time, she's hoping to break the pattern and keep the scale moving.

Expert Strategies

Diet

Lisa steams veggies, grills chicken, and skips alcohol—all good, healthy habits. But her seemingly inconsequential choices may be stalling her success, says Young.

These diet tweaks will help:

Limit starch to one meal and snack per day. Lisa might have cereal for breakfast, a sandwich for lunch, crackers as a snack, and pasta at night. That's 5 servings of starch. "Consider your daily menu," says Young. "If pasta is for dinner, have salad for lunch."

Visualize proper portions. Lisa puts cheese on sandwiches and enjoys macaroni or meat for dinner. These are fine choices, but in the right amounts: A serving of cheese looks like three dominoes; 1/2 cup of pasta, half a baseball; and 3 ounces of meat, a deck of cards.

Exercise

She walks 3 days a week, strength-trains twice, and on Saturdays, takes classes at the gym. That helped her lose the first 60 pounds; to rev her fat-burn, she has to up the intensity.

Here's how:

Use a heart rate monitor for cardio. It tells you if you're burning maximum calories. (To determine your target, go to prevention.com/heartrate.) Lisa can also tell she's working out hard enough if she's breathing through her mouth and sweating lightly.

Strength-train for 1 hour per week. That can be divided into three 20-minute sessions, with moves that target the arms, back, and legs in each. Lisa should aim for 3 sets of 15 reps; if her muscle aren't fatigued by the third set, she needs to increase the weight.

Attitude

Staying positive is key to any weight loss plan, says Kearney-Cooke. If Lisa beats herself up emotionally for every bad choice, it can set her on a negative spiral.

To stay on track:

Don't dwell on a misstep. Forgive yourself, then just choose better the next time. And each day, jot down the healthy choices you made. Acknowledging the good helps boost self-esteem.

Her Results

Lost 10 pounds and a half-inch off waist

"This experience opened my eyes: I am much more conscious of my portions, and I walk instead of taking the subway whenever possible. The reason I've struggled with my weight, though, is my attitude: I get upset if I put on a few pounds, and go back to my bad habits. But I've learned if I 'screw up,' I can start fresh right away. That helped me focus on my program instead of trying to beat the scale. I wanted to lose 20 pounds; I lost half that, and I can still honestly say I'm proud of myself."

Boost Your Bench and Build New Muscle

With weight exercises, use an amount of weight that allows you to complete the sets with perfect form. Starting in week 2, you'll do two exercises. Do these routines once or twice a week.

Weeks 1 and 2

Pushup

Do three sets of pushups to failure. This prepares your rotator cuffs for heavier loads. Lie facedown with your hands just outside your shoulders. Tighten your core and glutes and push away from the floor until your arms are straight. Lower your body to lightly touch your chest to the floor.

Weeks 2 and 3

Barbell Bench Press

Keep doing pushups in week 2, but add this. Do three sets of 12 repetitions to improve chest strength. Lie back on a bench with your feet flat on the floor. Remove the bar from the uprights using an overhand grip (palms facing away from you), your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Slowly lower the bar to your chest, just below the nipples. Pause, then press the weight back up until your arms are straight again.

Weeks 3 and 4

Dumbbell Bench Press Progression

Keep the barbell bench press in your week-3 routine and add this progression, which will help stabilize your arms, increase range of motion, and balance strength on each side of your body. Do three sets of 12 repetitions. Lie back on the bench, holding the weights alongside your chest. Press the dumbbells straight up, lower them, and repeat. Alternate: This time begin with both dumbbells overhead. Lower one to your chest and press it back up. Repeat with the other arm. Unilateral: Hold one dumbbell overhead and place your other hand at your hip. Keep your abs drawn in as you lower and press the weight with one arm. After 12 reps, switch the weight to your other hand and repeat.

Tips for Enjoying the Long Haul

1. The destination-unknown weekend road trip. Bring your girl, your wallet, and your sense of adventure. Uncharted territory is the ultimate aphrodisiac.

2. The border hop. Crossing state boundaries carries all the prosaic ceremony a tollbooth can offer. Which is to say, none. But cross into Tijuana, Mexico, from San Diego and you'll develop an appreciation for how different life can really be over the fence.

3. The one-way voyage. You leave your life behind, say goodbye to your friends, and set out into the world to find fame, fortune, or some combination of the two in a place you never thought you'd call home. They don't make a GPS for this kind of trip. You navigate by the pull of your gut.

4. The coast-to-coaster. Yes, it takes time. It takes money. But here's why it's essential: You will meet one unforgettable girl and never see her again. You will almost land in jail. And best of all, you will collect more immortal memories than you will bugs on your windshield.

5. The urban zigzag. Doesn't matter in which city: New York, Chicago, Houston, San Francisco. Just drive through it, fast, at 3 a.m. You'll feel like you own the place.

6. The European weekend. Pick one grand city: Paris, Prague, Berlin, Barcelona, Rome, London. Leave Thursday. Return Monday. Pack just one small backpack. It's much harder to hate the world once you've actually seen it.

7. The grid skip. Go anywhere beyond the reach of city lights and cell towers. Preferably, it requires starting a fire from scratch, catching dinner, and not showering -- things every guy should be able to do if pressed.

8. The jam session. Jerry's gone, but the nomadic, roving utopia pioneered by Deadheads can still be found on a minitour circuit. Fill your trunk with provisions and follow your favorite band for as long as vacation time allows. There's something pure, noble, and essential about a live-music tour in outdoor venues.

9. The long goodbye. Letting your grandfather die with dignity doesn't mean FedEx-ing flowers to his nursing home every Friday. When you care enough to give the very best, give yourself.

10. New Orleans. Because it's still there.

11. The three-ballpark trip. Try Baltimore (Camden Yards) to New York (Yankee Stadium) to Boston (Fenway Park), if you're on the East Coast; Cincinnati (Great American Ball Park) to Chicago (Wrigley Field) to St. Louis (Busch Stadium) in the Midwest; and Seattle (Safeco Field) to Oakland (McAfee Coliseum) to San Francisco (AT&T Park) on the West Coast.

12. The test track. There's something empowering about identifying a killer stretch of road, learning its nuances, and wearing grooves in the asphalt.

13. The reconciliation. Against all reason, you set out to win her back, showing up on the doorstep in her new town, new dorm, or new apartment. If you succeed, you get the girl. If you fail, at least you've learned how strong your will can be when you're reaching for something you really want.

Add 2 Inches to Your Arms

Your Goal: Bigger Arms

Your Time: 24 Minutes

Unless you can complete a set of five chinups and eight dips, you should limit muscle building workout exercises that isolate your arms, such as biceps curls and triceps extensions. "Your arms will grow best when you focus on the basics," says Kelly Baggett, a certified personal trainer with the International Sports Sciences Association.

The basics, he explains, are compound exercises--such as the chinup and dip--that force you to move at more than one joint. These movements allow you to use heavier weights than you would with single-joint isolation exercises, while also training either your chest or back. So don't worry: By using these muscle building workouts, you'll fully engage the muscles of your arms with each repetition, and you'll also shore up any weaknesses in the larger muscles of your upper body.

If you can't yet perform five chinups and eight dips, do Workout A, on the other side of this poster, twice a week. When you're able to complete a full complement of both exercises, progress to Workout B, performing the routine once every 3 to 5 days for bigger arms--and a better total body.

The Payoff

Fuller Biceps
This muscle building workout routine places your arms in front of you during some arm curls and behind you or at your sides during others. Varying arm positions builds the biceps evenly. As a result, you'll raise your peak and build thickness throughout your arms.

Stronger Triceps
Your triceps consist of three distinct muscles--the lateral head, on the outside of the arm; the long head, which provides bulk; and the medial head, which lies between the other two. This plan develops all three.

A Bigger Upper Body
The chinup and bench press in this workout develop your arms with help from your back and chest, respectively. The benefit: You'll build a bigger and more balanced upper body to support larger--and stronger--arms.

Benchmark Of Success

How Big Are Your Arms?

Since it requires only a tape measure, finding the circumference of your arms is an excellent way to gauge the effectiveness of your arm workout.

Your arms may look slightly larger after a workout or meal, when blood and water rush to your muscles. So, for the most accurate results, take all your measure-ments at the same time of day, such as before breakfast. Extend your arm in front of you (unflexed) and wrap a measuring tape around the largest portion of your upper arm. Record the circumference, then measure your other arm.
Track Your Progress

Record the total circumference of both your arms in the chart below. Then follow this workout and remeasure every 2 weeks. Go to MensHealth.com/poster to chart your improvement and get more exercise tips.

Build a Ripped Body by Starting with Your Legs

Legs are the neglected stepchild in physical training. Instead of building muscle, you can always hide stilts under sweatpants, and it's so easy to display a massive chest and big arms by washing your T-shirts in hot water.

But as a speed, strength, and conditioning coach, I've watched both athletes and nonathletes transform their bodies by shifting their training focus to their legs and building muscle there. Developing the largest muscle groups in your lower body -- your quadriceps, hamstrings, and gluteal muscles -- boosts your metabolism by increasing your body's lean muscle mass. It also revs up production of hormones that help you build muscle.

You'll look leaner and more muscular, and you'll feel stronger. Check that -- you'll be stronger.

A Stronger Upper Body

Training large muscle groups with heavy lifting produces a natural surge in growth hormone and testosterone. And there's nothing like squats to involve the large muscle groups. To perform the following variation on the squat, you have to activate most of your body's muscles simultaneously

Bulgarian split squat

Stand with a bench behind you and a barbell across the back of your shoulders. Place your left foot on the bench. Keeping your torso upright, lower your body until your right thigh is parallel to the floor. Pause, then push yourself back up. Perform three or four sets of eight to 10 repetitions on each leg.