The 10-7-3-1 Bench Workout

WARM UP
Stretch and Roll Out:
Wrists/Forearms
Chest
Shoulders
Tricpes
Traps/Upper Back

WORKOUT

Complete 3 rounds of the first circuit resting up to 3 minutes between rounds. You may also want to perform a round or two of 10 reps of light bench to work up to the weight for the 10-7-3-1 rounds.

Rest 2-3 minutes between circuits. Then perform 3-5 rounds of Circuit #2, resting up to a minute between rounds.

CIRCUIT #1:
10-7-3-1 Bench

CIRCUIT #2:
5-15 reps Dive Bomber Push Ups
20-50ft Reverse Crawl
10-20 V ups

COOL DOWN
Stretch and Roll Out:
Wrists/Forearms
Chest
Shoulders
Tricpes
Traps/Upper Back

NOTES:

These workouts are all for advanced lifters who can maintain good lifting form. When you first start out, use a light weight that allows you to maintain perfect form through all the reps.

For 10-7-3-1 rounds, you perform 10 reps followed by 10 seconds of rest, 7 reps followed by 7 seconds of rest, 3 reps and 3 seconds of rest then 1 rep and enough rest between rounds. You want to pick a weight that challenges you for the 10 reps. You will then proceed to use the little rest to help you complete a total of 21 reps with a weight you didn’t feel like you could do much more than 10 reps with.

Beginners start light for the first round and work up as they feel more comfortable until you are using a weight where you may even fail before the one rep.

EXERCISE DESCRIPTIONS:

Bench – You can do either a dumbbell or barbell bench press. It is always best to have a spotter when doing bench press. Your back should be on the bench and your feet should be on the ground. If you are comfortable with powerlifting form, you may arch your back. Start with the dumbbells or barbell locked out at the top. Your arms should be straight and the bar should be right over your chest. As you lower down, don’t let your elbows flare way out. You want your arms to create an arrow shape with your body. Lower the dumbbells or the barbell down to your chest at about nipple height then press straight back up. Repeat, controlling the tempo of your reps. For the 10-7-3-1, you will rest at the top or even rack the barbell in between.
Dive Bomber Push Ups – This move can be done from the knees by beginners or from the toes by more advanced exercisers. To do this from the knees, set up at the top of a push up with your hands outside your chest and your body in a straight line down to your knees. Sit back onto your heels as if doing a child’s pose stretch. Keep your hands in their original position. Then start to move forward back into the push up position, but keep your head and chest close to the ground as you go forward. Keep your upper body as close to the ground until your chest is in between your hands. Arch, opening your chest up toward the ceiling as if you are doing upward facing dog. Get a nice stretch at the top, making sure to press down through your palms and elongate your neck. Do not let your shoulders shrug up by your ears. Hold for a second and then sit back into the child’s pose stretch and repeat. To advance this move, set up on your hands and toes. Hands should be just outside the chest and your feet should be together or about hip-width apart. Push back into a downward dog pose. Start to move back forward, keeping the chest and head as close to the ground as possible. As your chest passes through your hands, arch up and move into an upward facing dog stretch. Hold for a second and then move back into the downward dog stretch.

divebomber-push-ups
Reverse Crawl – Set up on your hands and knees with your knees under your hips and your hands under your shoulders. Then flex your feet and lift up onto your toes. Take a step backward with your left foot and right hand, keeping your knees close to the ground and your back flat. Then step backward with your right foot and left hand. Keep alternating moving the opposite arm and opposite leg together. Take small steps with your feet so that you don’t get too spread out and put too much pressure on your shoulders.

basic crawl
V ups – Lie flat on your back with your legs out straight in front of you. Reach your arms overhead. Keeping your legs out straight, lift your legs a bit off the ground. Pike your legs up toward the ceiling as you crunch your upper body up and reach your hands up toward your toes. Try to crunch your upper body all the wall off the ground so you are basically sitting on your butt. Beginners may not be able to crunch up that far and may need to bend their legs a bit. More advanced exercisers will v up onto their butts and keep their legs straight. They will also not touch their heels to the ground between reps.

v-up