BODYWEIGHT STRENGTH TRAINING Copyright © 2017 by Jay Cardiello No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise, except as permitted under Section 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without the prior written permission of the publisher. Requests to the publisher for permission should be addressed to the Permissions Department, Rockridge Press, 6005 Shellmound Street, Suite 175, Emeryville, CA 94608. Limit of Liability/Disclaimer of Warranty: The publisher and the author make no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this work and specifically disclaim all warranties, including without limitation warranties of fitness for a particular purpose. No warranty may be created or extended by sales or promotional materials. 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Photography © Rocksweeper/Shutterstock.com, cover; Sergey Chumakov/Shutterstock.com, p. 18; Alexander Lukatskiy/Shutterstock.com, p. 40; Valeriy Lebedev/Shutterstock.com, p. 62; Jacob Lund/Shutterstock.com, p. 84. Author photo: Courtesy of Jay Cardiello Illustrations © Christian Papazoglakis/Illozoo ISBN: Print 978-1-62315-859-0 | eBook 978-1-62315-860-6 BODYWEIGHT STRENGTH TRAINING 12 Weeks to Build Muscle and Burn Fat JAY CARDIELLO Foreword by Darria Long Gillespie, MD, MBA Illustrations by Christian Papazoglakis This book is dedicated to my son, Max, who’s taught me more about life than any coach or mentor I’ve ever worked with. I love you, son. CONTENTS Foreword!vi Introduction!viii PART ONE: SETTING THE FOUNDATION !x Strength Training!2 Mental Fitness!4 Nutritional Fitness!8 PART TWO: FUNDAMENTAL EXERCISES !14 Key Positions!16 Leg Exercises!18 Back Exercises!40 Abdominal Exercises!62 Arm Exercises!84 PART THREE: 12 WEEKS TO A LEANER YOU !106 The Program!108 Phase One: Weeks 1 to 4—Basic Strength!112 Phase Two: Weeks 5 to 8—Maximum Strength!135 Phase Three: Weeks 9 to 12—Conversion to Sustainability!161 References!180 Resources!182 Exercise Index 183 Index!184 FOREWORD When I first met Jay Cardiello, he was working with a group of people of all shapes and sizes. These were a group of people who didn’t exercise regularly but wanted to lose weight, and even possibly address chronic health problems such as diabe- tes. Jay and I were considering collaborating on a project, so I had come to observe how he worked. What I saw first was that he was truly challenging them. But what became clear—and even more important—was that they also felt inspired, valued, and empowered. They were meeting his challenge and they were proud. People were laughing! I left that day with a deep appreciation for how Jay made people feel. How he didn’t just train them—he helped them succeed. Watching Jay connect with people at all fitness levels, you’d never guess that he had been training 50 Cent earlier that morning. Or J.Lo the day before, and NFL play- ers earlier that week. Or that he starred on the hit ABC show My Diet Is Better Than Yours. When Jay works with clients, his celebrity doesn’t matter. What matters is his ability to create an environment where everyone feels comfortable, not judged, and has fun exercising, regardless of their fitness level. But that’s Jay. He’s a trainer to the stars and top athletes, and yet he also helps everyday people begin to thrive through health and fitness. He intrinsically under- stands the challenges of each individual client and addresses those head-on and with boundless enthusiasm. As a physician, digital health executive, and national wellness expert, I strive to give my patients only the very best scientifically based information. Jay operates the same way. He bases his programs on evidence and behavioral models that have shown to be the most effective. Jay also understands that anyone can know what to do fitness-wise; the secret to success is knowing why you want to do it. That’s what makes his work unique. Why do we need this book? For one, strength training is a crucial component of health, and I see so many of my patients neglecting it. Plus, when it’s combined with cardio in the way that Jay recommends, the benefits are magnified: a healthier weight, stronger bones, increased energy, and even a longer lifespan. Following a program like this means your heart is healthier, your brain is healthier . . . and your butt looks better in jeans. I call that a win. vi I know firsthand that it’s easy to get derailed from fitness routines. But Jay makes that virtually impossible with his 12-week program. If you came to this book with excuses, you’ll quickly run out of them. Don’t think you have the time? Got 12 minutes? Then you have time for almost all of the workouts in this book. No gym membership? Do these workouts at home, using only your body weight. Easily discouraged? Jay includes motivation and encouragement throughout, so you won’t feel alone in your journey. What makes this book special is that Jay asks the important questions, empower- ing you to find your true motivations for change. Knowing this is the key for making change last. He addresses your personal and mental challenges as much as he does the physical. This isn’t just a strength-training book—it’s a life-training book. Think about it: Have you ever encountered a fitness program that encourages you to pause, be mindful, reflect on your goals, and have gratitude? Jay reframes how we think about our health. It’s not just about the workouts. It’s an inside-out approach. Wher- ever you are in your health journey, whatever size, or how many reps you can do, you need this book. Jay is no drill sergeant. He won’t yell at you or belittle you. He’s focused on your strength, fitness, energy, and quality of life, and he believes that you can dream bigger, feel better, and be stronger. And, after reading this book, you will believe that, too. —D arria Long Gillespie, MD, MBA SVP Clinical Strategy, Sharecare Inc. Clinical Assistant Professor, University of Tennessee School of Medicine Foreword vii INTRODUCTION If you picked up this book, you likely understand the importance of becoming stron- ger, getting more physically fit, and improving your overall health. Maybe you’ve tried a few different approaches, without success, and are looking for a training and nutri- tion program that will really stick. You know that success comes from commitment, but you just might need a little help getting there. You’ve come to the right place. Over the course of my 22 years in the fitness and health industry, I’ve witnessed thousands of fitness programs that promise everything—including the fountain of youth. Many of these programs are backed by science and can prove success if an individual follows the protocols. The problem is that when it comes to getting fit, life can magically conspire to get in your way. Time and money are tight. You have so much on your plate already. Some people even carry a sense of guilt or inferiority that holds them back from getting healthier. Others lack motivation, or are scared to commit to something long term. But what if I told you there’s a program that’s so easy, it takes the thought process out of fitness and nutrition? That’s my goal with Bodyweight Strength Training—to do all the thinking and planning for you, so you just have to follow the steps. If you do, you’ll be strong, fit, lean, and healthier in just 12 weeks. The best part? You can do all the exercises at home and on your own—no equipment or gym membership required. This book gathers all I’ve learned in the course of my athletic and fitness career in order to help you get stronger, leaner, and mentally focused. I began my strength-training career working with professional athletes in major athletic orga- nizations, including the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Xtreme Football League, the Cincinnati Reds, and the World Champion Boxing League. From there, I developed Off The Scale (OTS) in 2014 with a team of health care, technology, and marketing experts. The OTS platform delivers structured physical activity, nutritional educa- tion, and lifestyle-change planning to maximize participation and success for its users. Many of the exercises and techniques in this book come from the research behind OTS. Strength training has incredible benefits for your body and mind. A recent study showed that “strength training is increasingly promoted for its many health-related benefits, including a lower risk to all causes of mortality, fewer cardiovascular events (e.g., heart attack, stroke), improved body composition, better glucose metabolism and insulin sensitivity, and lower blood pressure in persons with prehypertension viii and hypertension.” In addition, the researchers found that “resistance training is a meaningful intervention for people suffering from anxiety.” With regard to depres- sion, the study concluded that strength training was shown to reduce depression in those who participated in regular exercise. I’ve witnessed these amazing results of strength training firsthand, and now I want to share them with you. I’ve found that 12 weeks is the point at which people effectively adapt new habits, move into self-actualization, and are fully committed to a new way of life. You’ll build your training over the course of the 12 weeks of the program, after which you’ll be armed with the tools and techniques to continue these healthy habits for the rest of your life. What makes this program unique is that I focus on the mental as well as the physical. Whether I’m working with 50 Cent or the CEO of a major company, it’s all about the mental game. As a successful strength coach, strength of mind is my main focus. Just as I do with my clients, I’ll constantly encourage you to use motivating phrases, meditation practices, and purposeful goal-setting to achieve success. Over the course of this book, I will be both your life coach and your personal trainer. We start out by going over the basics of a strength-training program and how to set yourself up for success. Then, in Part 2, I present the 40 foundational strength-training exercises for this program. The exercises are divided into our core areas of focus—legs, back, abdominals, and arms—and you will use these funda- mental exercises consistently over the 12-week program. Familiarize yourself with these exercises before starting the program outlined in Part 3. (And remember, if you forget the steps for a particular exercise, flip back to Part 2 for a refresher.) In Part 3, I outline the 12-week Bodyweight Strength Training program, a series of interval strength-training workouts tailored to your fitness level. In the workouts in Part 3, I present all of the exercises as 30-second bursts, as opposed to numbers of repetitions. This allows you to work at your own pace, concentrate on form, and start pushing harder at any point. With me by your side, your days of overthinking, making excuses, and stopping and starting are over. It’s time for success. It’s time to achieve lasting health and strength—once and for all. Let’s get started! Introduction ix