s we get deeper into Week Four of my 12-Week Lean Muscle Program, you should be experiencing both a sense of accomplishment for what you’ve already achieved as well as a bit of lethargy before your workouts. This is where discipline really comes into play. You need to dig deep to make sure you get the most from every workout.

Today, we’re starting with seated rows. Notice that we’re on a unilateral machine that’s fairly vertical. Remember that “unilateral” means that the arms of the machine are not connected. While you can perform the exercise one-arm at a time today we’ll be performing them using both arms at the same time. Remember to squeeze your shoulder blades together before you begin each rep to drive the action into your lats.

The next exercise is bent-over Smith machine rows. You’ll grasp the bar at about shoulder width so that when you pull you’re able to drive your elbows back rather than flaring them. This forces the contraction into your lats. Hold that squeeze for a second before lowering the weight with control. You’ll perform a drop set for each of the 4 sets. That means choosing a weight where you reach failure at about 10 reps. Then you’ll reduce weight and immediately perform another 10 reps. Rest 2 minutes before your next drop set.

With seated cable rows, you’ll lean forward with each rep, as we did in previous back workouts. Take a look at my video to remind yourself of the range of motion on this move. Follow this exercise with neutral-grip lat pulldowns using a V-bar handle. Notice that you do not need to extend fully at the top so long as you feel a good stretch in your lats as you extend.

Today, we’ll also train abs. You can do this one of two ways: Perform the 4 abs exercises as circuit and then rest for 2 minutes between circuits. Or you can perform all sets for one move before going on to the next. The first move is lying leg raises, but this week we’ll use straight legs rather than bringing in the knees.

You can hold a slight bend at the knees but the point is to bring your legs more directly overhead. Next up for abs are twisting crunches. For this move, you’ll lie on your back with your hands behind your head and elbows flared. Raise your feet off the ground and keep them up for the entire set. Cross an elbow to the opposite knee. Then, without lowering your upper body, twist the other elbow to the other knee, and then lower. That counts as 1 rep. Perform these to failure, alternating the side you begin with. Finish off with straight crunches to failure.

You’ll perform V-ups, where you pike your legs as you raise your upper body with your hands extended overhead. As you come up bring your hands and feet together. Then perform crossover V-ups where you bring one hand and the opposite leg up and together. Extend your nonworking-side leg so it’s parallel to the ground and hold your nonworking-side arm out to the side for stability. Check out the video to see exactly how I perform this challenging move.

Workout

Unilateral Seated Vertical Rows 4 Sets/12-15 Reps Rest 90 seconds between sets
Smith Machine Bent-Over Rows 4 Sets/10+10 Reps Perform these as a drop set of 20 reps total and rest 2 minutes between sets
Seated Cable Rows 4 Sets/16-20 Reps Rest 90 seconds between sets
Neutral-Grip Lat Pulldowns With V-Bar Grip 4 Sets/16-20 Reps Rest 90 seconds between sets
Lying Leg Raises 4 Sets/Failure Once you reach failure perform pulses at the top. Rest 1 minute between sets
Twist Crunches 4 Sets/Failure When you reach failure perform regular crunches. Rest 1 minute between sets
V-Ups 4 Sets/Failure Rest 1 minute between sets
Crossover V-Ups 4 Sets/Failure Rest 1 minute between sets

GETHIN’S GO-TO:

The second day of each week is one of the toughest on my 12-week program. That’s because you performed the hardest workout of the week the day before, and today you’re training the largest upper-body muscle group while you’re sore and fatigued. You’ve also burned significant calories without consuming more yesterday or today—remember that your intake stays the same on each weight-training day. Make sure to take your recovery supps and get plenty of sleep to help you get the most from this challenging phase of each week.

WHAT SUPP?

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