Six Super Exercises: Putting the Pieces Together for a Powerful Exercise Program Part 2
Copyright (c) 2008 Anderson Training Systems
Below are a few of the training goals for which the Super Six can be adapted:
- Strength
- Fat Loss
- Hypertrophy (muscle gain)
- Athletic Performance
- Stability and Endurance
Another adaptive property of the Super Six is that they can be performed virtually any place, any time, and with any type of or even no equipment. Below is a list of just a few of the training environments in which the Super Six can be used:
- Barbells training
- Dumbbells training
- Stability training
- Bodyweight training
- Cables/Tubing training As you can see from just these few examples, there are a multitude of goals and methods which can utilize the Super Six exercises. So many, in fact, that you should never experience any training boredom.
What is so Super about the Super Six
- Once you have learned the technique for each of the six exercises, you will have established a great foundation with which you can develop and apply any program to meet your specific goals.
- Ask anyone who has been successful at increasing athletic performance, improving overall fitness, or has lost significant amounts of body fat what exercises he/she used and I would bet money that he/she will name at least a couple of the exercises from the Super Six.
- You get the most "bang for your training buck" with Super Six exercises. As a result of being multi-joint movements that require the use of numerous different muscles, they are also very time-efficient exercises. Therefore, if you are in a pinch for time, always perform your Super Six exercise(s)first and then move on to the other movements you have scheduled.
- They apply directly to daily activities. Whether it is carrying boxes of files, lifting carry-on bags into overhead bins, walking your pet, or playing with your children/grandchildren, these six exercises will prepare you for the moment when you need to perform.
A Simple Super Six Plan:
Here's a very simple way to start applying the Super Six exercises immediately. This plan is based on three workouts per week. All you need to do is select and perform one #1 exercise, one #2 exercise, and one #3 exercise.
Give yourself at least a day's rest in between training days. If you are training on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, your program would look like the example below.
Exercise Selection:
1. Deadlift or Squat
2. Bench Press or Overhead Press
3. Rowing or Pull-up
Exercise Program Example:
Monday ' Deadlift
Wednesday- Bench Press
Friday ' Rowing
If this is all that you have time for, that is fine. You will still be able to achieve some pretty amazing results; however, if you want to fill in with some auxiliary exercises that is also fine.
Each cycle of three Super Six exercises should be performed for 3-6 weeks and then you should switch to the other three exercises. As far as sets and reps are concerned, I am going to leave that up to you. However, if you are just learning the movements, I would recommend that you keep the resistance pretty light and the repetitions pretty high to allow yourself some time to learn the technique.
Once you have become proficient with your technique, you can advance accordingly. If you are already more advanced, you may want to play around with some different protocols. It is totally up to you and what your goals may be. The variations are endless. My number one goal for developing the Super Six concept was to have a set of movements that were foundational to many other movements and for those movements to be applicable not only to athletic performance but also to everyday life.
Hopefully, it is now evident that not only can the Super Six exercises be adapted to any goal, training protocol, and training environment, but they can also be incorporated into the busiest lives and produce astonishing results with very little training time.
Below are a few of the training goals for which the Super Six can be adapted:
- Strength
- Fat Loss
- Hypertrophy (muscle gain)
- Athletic Performance
- Stability and Endurance
Another adaptive property of the Super Six is that they can be performed virtually any place, any time, and with any type of or even no equipment. Below is a list of just a few of the training environments in which the Super Six can be used:
- Barbells training
- Dumbbells training
- Stability training
- Bodyweight training
- Cables/Tubing training As you can see from just these few examples, there are a multitude of goals and methods which can utilize the Super Six exercises. So many, in fact, that you should never experience any training boredom.
What is so Super about the Super Six
- Once you have learned the technique for each of the six exercises, you will have established a great foundation with which you can develop and apply any program to meet your specific goals.
- Ask anyone who has been successful at increasing athletic performance, improving overall fitness, or has lost significant amounts of body fat what exercises he/she used and I would bet money that he/she will name at least a couple of the exercises from the Super Six.
- You get the most "bang for your training buck" with Super Six exercises. As a result of being multi-joint movements that require the use of numerous different muscles, they are also very time-efficient exercises. Therefore, if you are in a pinch for time, always perform your Super Six exercise(s)first and then move on to the other movements you have scheduled.
- They apply directly to daily activities. Whether it is carrying boxes of files, lifting carry-on bags into overhead bins, walking your pet, or playing with your children/grandchildren, these six exercises will prepare you for the moment when you need to perform.
A Simple Super Six Plan:
Here's a very simple way to start applying the Super Six exercises immediately. This plan is based on three workouts per week. All you need to do is select and perform one #1 exercise, one #2 exercise, and one #3 exercise.
Give yourself at least a day's rest in between training days. If you are training on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, your program would look like the example below.
Exercise Selection:
1. Deadlift or Squat
2. Bench Press or Overhead Press
3. Rowing or Pull-up
Exercise Program Example:
Monday ' Deadlift
Wednesday- Bench Press
Friday ' Rowing
If this is all that you have time for, that is fine. You will still be able to achieve some pretty amazing results; however, if you want to fill in with some auxiliary exercises that is also fine.
Each cycle of three Super Six exercises should be performed for 3-6 weeks and then you should switch to the other three exercises. As far as sets and reps are concerned, I am going to leave that up to you. However, if you are just learning the movements, I would recommend that you keep the resistance pretty light and the repetitions pretty high to allow yourself some time to learn the technique.
Once you have become proficient with your technique, you can advance accordingly. If you are already more advanced, you may want to play around with some different protocols. It is totally up to you and what your goals may be. The variations are endless. My number one goal for developing the Super Six concept was to have a set of movements that were foundational to many other movements and for those movements to be applicable not only to athletic performance but also to everyday life.
Hopefully, it is now evident that not only can the Super Six exercises be adapted to any goal, training protocol, and training environment, but they can also be incorporated into the busiest lives and produce astonishing results with very little training time.
