COVER STORY TRAINING SNAPSHOT
DAY 1 : CHEST |
EXERCISE |
SETS REPS |
Barbell Incline |
5 |
20,12,10,10,8 |
Machine Flye |
4 |
15,12,10,8 |
Decline Hammer Machine Press |
4 |
15,12,10,8 |
Flat Barbell |
5 |
15,12,10,8,6 |
Standing Cable Flye |
4 |
15,12,10,10 |
Abs – Pick 3 exercises- 3 to 4 sets per movement / 25-50 reps per set |
DAY 2 : ARMS |
EXERCISE |
SETS REPS |
Standing Dumbbell Curl |
4 |
12,10,8,8 |
Standing Cable Rope Pulldown |
5 |
15,12,10,10,8 |
Standing Hammer Curl |
4 |
12,10,8,8 |
Standing Triceps Pushdown |
5 |
15,12,10,10,8 |
Standing Straight Bar Arm Curl |
4 |
10,10,8,8 |
Dips On Bench |
4 sets of at least 20 reps 20,20,20,20 |
Seated Concentration Curl or Seated Machine Curl 3 sets- failure |
Single Arm Reverse Cable Pulldown 3 sets of at least 20,20,20,20 |
DAY 3 : LEGS |
EXERCISE |
SETS REPS |
Leg Extension |
4 |
50,40,35,25 |
Smith Machine or Regular Squat |
5 |
25,20,15,10,10 |
Leg Press ( will sometimes incorporate into a workout , depends on energy ) |
|
5 |
50,40,35,25,20 |
Lunge |
4 |
20 ( 10 per leg ) reps |
Seated Leg Curl |
4 |
25,20,15,15 |
Seated Calf Raise |
4 |
25 |
Abs – Pick 3 exercises- 3 to 4 sets per movement / 25-50 reps per set |
DAY 4 : SHOULDERS / TRAPS |
EXERCISE |
SETS REPS |
Dumbbell Lateral Raise |
4 |
15,12,10,10 |
Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press |
5 |
15,12,10,10 |
Dumbbell Front Raise |
3 |
15,12,10 |
Dumbbell Shrug |
5 |
20,20,15,12,10 |
Upright Row |
4 |
15,12,12,10 |
Seated Rear Delt Machine , Cables or Dumbbells : 4 sets 15,12,12,10 |
DAY 5 : BACK |
EXERCISE |
SETS REPS |
Wide-Grip Pull-Up |
4 |
15,15,12,10 |
Seated Hammer Reverse Grip Pulldown 4 |
12,12,10,10 |
Seated Cable Pull Back |
4 |
12,12,10,8 |
Machine Lat Pulldown |
5 |
15,12,10,10,8 |
Standing Front Pulldown |
4 |
20,20,15,12 |
Hyper Extension |
4 |
20,20,15,15 |
DAY 6 : TOUCH UPS “ On my sixth day I will pick two to three body parts I think that are lagging and do a touch up . I may do a circuit , or I may pick two to three exercises for each group . I really focus on the muscle and take time to make sure I ’ ve worked it effectively . These days I normally lift very light , strict form , high reps .”
am proud to say myself nor do my trainers take part in those methods . We run Fokken Strong Training with integrity and are proud of the work we do . You can find my training at www . brandanfokken . com .
IM : What ’ s the most important thing people often don ’ t realize about your success ? BF : That it came later in life . I didn ’ t start competing until I was 30 . I got my first sponsor at 32 and it snowballed from there . It took hundreds of hours of work , lots of failure and a lot of [ negative answers ] before I ever got a single yes .
IM : Do you have any words of wisdom that have served you well over the years that you feel can help our readers in their fitness journey ? BF : Surround yourself with positive people and people that help you along the way . Negative people will just bring you down and make it that much harder for you to achieve your goals . The people that bring you down are afraid of change , and feel that your positive attitude and hard work somehow makes them have to make those changes too , which scares people , so they will become your worst critics . Rise above that and work on you . You are the best investment you can make . Also be open to advice . Ask questions and absorb what others pass on to you . However don ’ t make this information “ truth ” as many gurus out there believe they know it all and will pass on bad advice every chance they get . Do your homework and investigate the advice you are given and find which advice best works for you .
Don ’ t try to be just like someone else – that ’ s a recipe for failure . It ’ s ok to look up to , learn from and be inspired by others , but don ’ t put yourself below them and assume they are better than you . Be you and proud of your own accomplishments . The people you admire were once not so different than you . Blaze your own trail ! You can accomplish anything you want with a strong mind , strong goals and hard work . So if you want something , go get it .
IM : Is there anyone you look to for inspiration in your life ? BF : I look to many people . I will keep it simple though and leave it with my wife and son . They inspire me to do great things , to get up at 5am every day and grind throughout the week . Beyond them , Arnold Schwarzenegger has been my lifelong inspiration .
IM : What advice would you give to anyone wanting to make it in fitness and / or fitness competing ? BF : You need to first of all be ok with yourself in whatever you are involved in , or what level you are at in everything you do ( workout routine , diet , etc .). When you are ok with yourself and love yourself , you will make more of a commitment to the betterment of you . You also won ’ t get discouraged when things don ’ t go exactly how you want them to . You will have the strength to carry on and continue to try to achieve the results you are striving for . If you don ’ t love yourself now and every step of the way , you definitely won ’ t be happy wherever it is you are going .
34 AUGUST 2017 | ironmanmagazine . com