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If you’re serious about your time in the gym, you need to be just as serious about your time outside the gym. Adequate rest is essential for muscle recovery, repair, growth, and development. Without ample rest and smart nutrition, you simply won’t build the body you want. Use these tips to turbo-charge your rest days.

Downshift, But Stay Active

One of the best things you can do to facilitate recovery between training sessions is low-intensity cardio. Not only does this help flush metabolic waste from your muscles, but it also builds capillary beds to the muscles.

If you want to build a big, strong physique, low-intensity cardio can give help give your muscles the nourishment and the blood supply need to thrive. Perform one 30-45 minute session of low-intensity cardio on your rest days.

Get Some Sleep!

Recovery begins and ends with sleep. If you aren’t getting at least seven hours of sleep per night, you’re not going to recover adequately. Make this a priority going forward.

Hydrate

Hydration is essential for performance and recovery. A good goal is to get half an ounce of water per pound of body weight per day, or one ounce per kilogram. If you’re a 200-pound guy, that means you need to drink 100 ounces of water or more per day.

Take A Power Nap

If you struggle sleeping enough at night, or you simply want to augment repair, try taking a 30-45 minute nap during the day. Not only will it expedite recovery, but you’ll also be more focused and alert for the second half of your day!

Recover With Mini-Circuits

To maximize repair between training sessions, do little things at night to help you feel better and recover faster. This could be light static stretching, foam rolling, or even some light yoga.

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Vital Stats

Name: Noah Siegel
Height: 5’10″
Weight: 218 lbs
Occupation: Physique athlete, Optimum Nutrition-sponsored athlete, personal trainer
Website: www.siegefitness.com

My leg-training goal is two-fold: I want my legs to look great, but I also want them to be as strong as they possibly can. I’m all about show and go, and this workout reflects that mentality.

I train my legs twice per week. The first workout, located at the bottom of the page, is my heavy day. Four days after my heavy leg day, I implement the assistance leg day covered in this video.

This day is designed specifically to hit my weak spots that I don’t necessarily hit during my heavy leg training. Sometimes, it’s difficult to hit specific muscles or muscle groups, so I use this workout to focus on what needs to improve.

I’m usually pretty rested as I go into this workout, but I still train a little bit lighter than I do during my heavy day.

Of course, “lighter” definitely doesn’t mean light! Don’t be afraid to put some weight on the bar and give this workout max energy.

Legs Under Siege
Watch The Video – 11:40

The workout includes only five exercises, but we’re going to move quickly through the session to keep our hearts pumping. Let’s get to work!

Tips from “The Siege”

Front Squat

The most important thing I do before I put heavy weight on the bar, regardless of the exercise, is warm up. I prime my muscles and make sure everything is working properly. I like to sit at the bottom of the front squat and let everything stretch out during my warm-up sets.

Front Squat

As I progress through the working sets, I add weight and drop reps. Focus on going through a full range of motion—ass to grass! Keep your core tight and your back strong. Your shoulders can be protracted, but don’t round your upper back.

Walking Lunge

I do a lot of lunges to hit the glute-hamstring tie-in and build my quad size and endurance. Make sure you push yourself to get the most out of this exercise. Your quads should burn and you should feel the load on your back, hamstrings, and glutes.

As you tire, sometimes it’s really hard to keep your balance and form. So take it slow.

Glute-Ham Raise

Most gyms don’t have a glute-ham machine, so I like to use the lat pull-down machine. Kneel on the pad facing away from the weight stack and grasp the bar behind your head. Fall forward, but control your weight and movement with your hamstrings. The more weight you use on the stack, the easier the movement will be.

Glute-Ham Raise

Do these slowly. It should be intense. Don’t pull with the arms; use your hamstrings to move. If you don’t feel your hamstrings burning after a few sets of these, I don’t think anything would work!

Glute-Ham Bridge

This is one of those exercises that guys neglect because they think it’s girly. Nothing could be further from the truth. This movement hits all the muscles that are good for your squat. You can do low reps with heavy, heavy weight.

Glute-Ham Bridge

You’ll feel your glutes, hamstrings, and lower back working together to move the bar. Implement a slight pause at the top to really emphasize the contraction.

Dumbbell Bulgarian Split Squat

Split squats will hit your quads and your glute-ham tie-in. Keep the weight relatively light, but that doesn’t mean you should go easy. Concentrate on that contraction and push off the quad.

Dumbbell Bulgarian Split Squat

For more information about how I train, check out my other articles!

Sparkly snowflakes, cozy blankets, rich hot chocolate—winter has a lot going for it, but fresh produce is usually not on that list. In colder climates, eating locally through the winter can be downright challenging. But we’re here with some good news: Every meal doesn’t have to revolve around potatoes and onions until April.

With a bit of advanced planning and creativity, it’s possible to eat fresh fruits and vegetables with plenty of nutrients and flavor all winter long. These are of the unexpected vitamin-rich cold-weather foods you should stock up on right now. Farther down the list you’ll see a number of fruits to find in warmer climates during these winter months.

COOL CLIMATES

1 Cabbage

Time to head to the cabbage patch, kid! This super-healthy, budget-friendly vegetable is a close cousin to other cold-weather favorites like cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, kale, and broccoli. Cabbage is loaded with vitamins and minerals (Vitamins C and K and folate, in particular), fiber, antioxidants, and anti-carcinogenic compounds called glucosinolates. Some studies claim that the spherical vegetable may even reduce cholesterol and lower risk of cancer and diabetes.

• Peak Season: While some strains of cabbage are available starting in July, most varieties love cool weather and are ready for harvest through the fall and winter.
• Storage Tips: Tightly wrap individual heads of cabbage in plastic and stash in the refrigerator to keep ‘em fresh for up to a week.
• How to Eat It: Cabbage’s nutritional benefits are most pronounced when raw, so slice up a few leaves to add crunch to a salad or stir fry.

2 Brussels Sprouts

These trendy sprouts are finally getting their turn in the spotlight. The Brussels sprout, aka cabbage’s mini-me, boasts some of the same health benefits as its big bro. Like other cruciferous veggies, Brussels sprouts have high levels of cancer-fighting antioxidants that may protect DNA from oxidative damage.

• Peak Season: September through February
• Storage Tips: Brussels sprouts will keep in the fridge for a few weeks. The outer leaves will shrivel, so remove them just before cooking your sprouts.
• How to Eat It: Toss halved sprouts with olive oil and roast until crispy and brown. Top with a light coating of brown butter and sage for a decadent (but still healthy) side dish.

3 Winter Squash

Get ready to taste the gourdy goodness! Acorn, butternut, kabocha, and delicata squash are all at their prime during the fall and winter. Golden squash flesh is loaded with healthy goodness like carotenoids, Vitamin A, and potassium.

“Golden squash flesh is loaded with healthy goodness like carotenoids, Vitamin A, and potassium.”

• Peak Season: Winter squash hit the markets around late September and stick around through early March.
• Storage Tips: Even though they seem pretty solid, squash continue to ripen once they’re picked. Slow down the process by storing them in a cool, slightly humid environment (like, say, a basement or cellar). Under the right conditions, squash will keep for up to three months.
• How to Eat It: Since squash is healthy, fairly inexpensive, filling, and darn tasty, it’s no wonder there are thousands of awesome recipes for the many varieties.

4 Potatoes

Spuds get a bad rap, but they’re a staple food in many cuisines for good reason. Sure, potatoes are starchy and high on the glycemic index, but they’re also filling, inexpensive, and boast an impressive nutritional profile including potassium, magnesium, folic acid, vitamin C, and even protein. Fancy purple taters may even help lower blood pressure and boost antioxidants. While sweet potatoes are considered a healthier choice (since they’re loaded with beta-carotene, vitamins A and C, and fiber), regular old white spuds are still nutritious—as long as you don’t fry ‘em up or mash them with tons of butter and cream.

• Peak Season: Varieties of potatoes are available year-round.
• Storage Tips: Store potatoes in a dark, cool, well-ventilated area for about one month. Keep spuds away from onions and apples. At room temperature, potatoes will keep for 1-2 weeks.
• How to Eat It: Try a healthier take on the classic baked potato bar. Twice-baked spuds stuffed with kale, broccoli, and cheddar make for a tasty and comforting meal.

5 Onions

Onions are a year-round kitchen all-star. Their layers are ideal for flavoring soup, grain salads, pasta, meat, and more. They might make you cry, but onions are actually healthy. The unassuming veggies are low in calories but surprisingly high in vitamin C and fiber. The oils found in onions can lower LDL (bad) cholesterol levels and raise HDL (good) cholesterol.

• Peak Season: Types of onions are available all year round.
• Storage Tips: Stash onions outside the fridge (they can go soft if refrigerated) in a cool, dry place for several months.
• How to Eat It: Sauteed white onion goes perfect with a fig, ricotta, and arugula flatbread pizza.

6 Beets

Sweet, earthy, and deep red, beets are unique in the vegetable aisle. Beets contain antioxidants called betalains, which may help fight cancer and other degenerative diseases. They’re also rich in vitamins A, B, C as well as potassium and folate. They’re also a natural source of sugar (about nine grams per serving), so people looking to cut down on sweet stuff should take note. Not bad for a bright-red bulb, right?

• Peak Season: Beets are available early spring through late fall.
• Storage Tips: Store beet roots in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to a month.
• How to Eat It: Toss roasted beets and carrots with lentils and plenty of fresh herbs and spices to make a hearty, healthy vegetarian main dish.

7 Celeriac

Celeriac is probably the ugly duckling of winter produce. It looks like a misshapen, greenish-white blob covered in little roots. Appetizing, right? But beyond the odd exterior, celeriac boasts a tasty, subtle flavor—somewhere between parsley and celery—and a hearty texture. It’s low in calories, high in fiber, and rich in vitamin C (a powerful antioxidant) and phosphorus (which contributes to strong bones and teeth).

• Peak Season: September through March.
• Storage Tips: Like other root veggies, celeriac will stay fresh in the fridge for up to a month.
• How to Eat It: Sub in celeriac for almost any root vegetable. Cube and sautee it for a tasty, healthy substitute for hash browns.

8 Carrots

Did your mom ever tell you to eat carrots for healthy eyes? Bugs Bunny’s favorite food is loaded with the antioxidant beta-carotene, a compound that converts to vitamin A in the body. Vitamin A is essential for a strong immune system and healthy eyes, skin, and mucus membranes. The orange veggies are also loaded with vitamin C, cyanidins, and lutein, which are all antioxidants. Some studies show that eating carrots may reduce risk of cancer and may prevent cardiovascular disease.

• Peak Season: Available through late fall, although some varieties are harvested through the winter.
• Storage Tips: Like many root vegetables, carrots will keep in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for several weeks.
• How to Eat It: Bring out carrots’ natural sweetness with a side dish that combines the orange veggies, cinnamon, orange juice, and maple syrup.

9 Turnips and Rutabagas

These purple-and-white bulbs might look like potatoes, but they’re actually related to cabbage, broccoli, and cauliflower. Confused yet? Perhaps because of this oh-so-confusing identity crisis, turnips and rutabagas are often (unfortunately) overlooked in the produce aisle. But they boast the same nutritional perks as other cruciferous veggies (namely the possible cancer-fighting glucosinolates, vitamins C and K, folate, potassium, fiber, and calcium), plus their slightly sweet taste is a boon to nearly any dish.

“Turnips and rutabagas boast the same nutritional perks as other cruciferous veggies, plus their slightly sweet taste is a boon to nearly any dish.”

• Peak Season: Available all winter long.
• Storage Tips: Keep turnips and rutabagas in the fridge for a few weeks or in a root cellar for several months.
• How to Eat It: What’s cheesy, gooey, and surprisingly good for you? A lightened-up simple turnip gratin! Rutabagas can be subbed in for any dish that calls for turnips.

10 Parsnips

These (white) carrot look-alikes are packed with nutritional goodness. The long, pale, tapered root veggies are loaded with fiber, potassium, vitamin C, and folate. Like carrots, they have a slightly sweet, earthy flavor that goes well with nearly any winter soup, stew, or casserole. Half a cup of cooked ‘snips contains 17 percent of your recommended daily allowance of vitamin C and just 55 calories.

• Peak Season: Parsnips are at their best in the late fall and early spring.
• Storage Tips: Store parsnips in a bag in the refrigerator for 3-4 weeks.
• How to Eat It: Combine roasted parsnips with Granny Smith apples (and a few other essential ingredients) for a smooth, fall-flavored soup.

11 Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes might win the award for “Most Versatile Tuber.” These orange-hued delights are loaded with fiber, beta-carotene, vitamins A and C, and antioxidants. Plus, since they’re fairly low on the glycemic index, they’re great for filling up without getting weighed down.

• Peak Season: Sweet potatoes are available year-round, but they’re best in the fall.
• Storage Tips: Keep sweet potatoes in a cool, dry place outside the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
• How to Eat It: It wouldn’t be fair to pick one of these 45 sweet potato recipes and not try the rest. Pro tip: Sweet potato brownies are a thing.

12 Radicchio

Besides being one of the most fun words in the English language, radicchio (pronounced ra-DIK-kio) is a member of the chicory family along with endive and escarole. Its red and white, slightly spicy and bitter leaves are loaded with vitamin C, magnesium, potassium, and vitamin K. Plus, this leafy veg is extremely low in calories, so add it to any dish for a low-cal dose of crunch and flavor.

• Peak Season: There are three main varieties of radicchio available in the United States, Chiogga, Treviso, and Tardivo. Tardivo radicchio is available throughout the winter.
• Storage Tips: Keep it in the refrigerator wrapped in plastic for up to three weeks.
• How to Eat It: Sauteed radicchio adds a kick (and a nice serving of vitamins and minerals) to this easy pasta dish.

WARM CLIMATES

13 Citrus Fruit

Dark winter days getting you down? Grab a handful of cheery citrus to last you until summer fruit season. And while they’re not so great for your teeth, citrus fruits are loaded with vitamin C and flavonoids, which may reduce risk of cancer. Citrus consumption may also been linked to lower risks of a laundry list of ailments, including: Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, diabetes, cholera, gingivitis, cataracts, and Crohn’s disease. Stock up on lemons, oranges, grapefruit, kumquats, blood oranges, limes, and clementines to get your citrus fix this winter.

“Stock up on oranges, lemons, grapefruit, blood oranges, limes, and clementines to get your citrus fix this winter.”

• Peak Season: Citrus fruits grown in warm climates are ripe for picking between late October and March.
• Storage Tips: Store citrus in the refrigerator for a few weeks, or at room temperature for up to four days.
• How to Eat It: Try one of these five healthy citrus recipes. Or just peel and eat!

14 Pomegranates

Pomegranates are one of the world’s oldest fruits (Greco-Roman mythology, anyone?) as well as one of the most nutritious. The ruby-colored seeds are packed with antioxidants and anti-inflammatories that may help treat heart conditions like high cholesterol, high blood pressure, heart attack, and congestive heart failure. Studies show that drinking pomegranate juice may reduce build-up of fatty deposits in arteries, which is a culprit behind many heart conditions. Extracting the seeds from a pomegranate can be tricky, but the heart-healthy, sweet-sour pods are well worth the effort. For a less laborious option, add a splash of no-sugar-added pomegranate juice to a glass of seltzer.

• Peak Season: The globe-shaped fruits are in season from October through January.
• Storage Tips: Keep pomegranates in the refrigerator for up to two months, or at room temperature for 1-2 weeks.
• How to Eat It: A sprinkling of pomegranate seeds adds some tart, bright flavor to a winter kale salad.

15 Dark, Leafy Greens

Trendy kale and flavorful collards have their moment in the sun (ironically) during the winter. These veggies are rich in vitamins A, C, K, and E, as well as iron, calcium, manganese, potassium, and phytochemicals and antioxidants [31]. Plus, they’re low in calories and versatile enough to fit nearly any dish. Kale and collard greens are members of the super-healthy brassica vegetable family, which means they may aid in digestion, may help lower cholesterol, and may protect the body against cancer.

• Peak Season: Kale is grown in warmer climates and the Pacific Northwest throughout the winter months.
• Storage Tips: Wrap washed and dried greens in paper towels, then put the whole shebang in a plastic bag in the fridge. Greens will stay fresh for 1-2 weeks.
• How to Eat It: Swap nutrient-weak iceberg lettuce for kale, chard, or collards to make a nutrient-rich salad.

16 Escarole

This uncommon green is a little bitter, but adds welcome freshness to late-winter cooking. It’s a bit crunchy, like lettuce, and wilts easily, like spinach. It’s a member of the chicory family, so it’s also related to endive, radicchio, kale, and chard. Like other greens, escarole is high in folic acid, fiber, and vitamins A and K.

• Peak Season: Escarole grows through fall and early winter in warmer climates.
• Storage Tips: This dainty green is a bit delicate, so eat it up quickly. Wrapped in paper towels and stored in an open plastic bag, escarole keeps in the refrigerator for up to four days.
• How to Eat It: Escarole adds some bright-green freshness to a classic Italian soup.

17 Fennel

With feathery leaves on top, a round, onion-shaped bulb on the bottom, and a licorice-like taste throughout, fennel is definitely one of the stranger vegetables out there. (And by “strange” we mean awesome and delicious, of course.) It’s a little bit sweet, kinda crunchy, and—above all—super healthy. The licorice flavor is due to a compound called anethole, which may help to reduce risk of certain cancers, aid digestion, suppress inflammation, and naturally thin blood to prevent clots. Fennel also boasts a boatload of vitamins and minerals like vitamin C, potassium, magnesium, and copper.

• Peak Season: Fennel is available at the market from late fall through early spring.
• Storage Tips: Wrap fennel bulb in a paper bag and store in the refrigerator for up to five days.
• How to Eat It: Yes, it’s possible to make a crisp, totally fresh salad during the winter. Try a fennel and celery dish for a crunchy cold-weather lunch.

What’s your favorite winter fruit or vegetable? Share in the comments below or get in touch with the author on Twitter @SophBreene.

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If you’re serious about your time in the gym, you need to be just as serious about your time outside the gym. Adequate rest is essential for muscle recovery, repair, growth, and development. Without ample rest and smart nutrition, you simply won’t build the body you want. Use these tips to turbo-charge your rest days.

Downshift, But Stay Active

One of the best things you can do to facilitate recovery between training sessions is low-intensity cardio. Not only does this help flush metabolic waste from your muscles, but it also builds capillary beds to the muscles.

If you want to build a big, strong physique, low-intensity cardio can give help give your muscles the nourishment and the blood supply need to thrive. Perform one 30-45 minute session of low-intensity cardio on your rest days.

Get Some Sleep!

Recovery begins and ends with sleep. If you aren’t getting at least seven hours of sleep per night, you’re not going to recover adequately. Make this a priority going forward.

Hydrate

Hydration is essential for performance and recovery. A good goal is to get half an ounce of water per pound of body weight per day, or one ounce per kilogram. If you’re a 200-pound guy, that means you need to drink 100 ounces of water or more per day.

Take A Power Nap

If you struggle sleeping enough at night, or you simply want to augment repair, try taking a 30-45 minute nap during the day. Not only will it expedite recovery, but you’ll also be more focused and alert for the second half of your day!

Recover With Mini-Circuits

To maximize repair between training sessions, do little things at night to help you feel better and recover faster. This could be light static stretching, foam rolling, or even some light yoga.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Boise, ID – January 28, 2014 - Bodybuilding.com, the Internet’s most-visited fitness website and largest online retailer of nutritional supplements, will offer a free worldwide webcast of the Red Carpet Gala preceding the sixth edition of the Fighter’s Only World MMA Awards, presented by Fighter’s Only Magazine, Bodybuilding.com, and The Venetian Las Vegas®.

Keeping with its theme of staying on the cutting edge, the Fighter’s Only MMA Awards has added even more entertainment to their star-studded weekend with the live streaming of the preview show. The webcast will be presented by Bodybuilding.com on Friday, February 7th, 2014, from The Venetian Las Vegas® beginning at 5 p.m. PST (8 p.m. EST).

Hosted by veteran MMA personality Dave Farra, the show will feature a panel of MMA experts from some of the biggest outlets in the world to break down the night’s nominees, as well as on-set interviews with host Brian Stann and several of the stars of the MMA world arriving at the black-tie event. As the celebrities and VIPs arrive, correspondent Sherry Landry will update the audience on all the happenings from the red carpet.

The live HD webcast will stream on the Bodybuilding.com website, the Livestream Roku channel for those watching on smart TVs, the Livestream mobile app, and on a special webcast tab on the Bodybuilding.com Facebook page.

Stay tuned for details available soon at Bodybuilding.com!

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When it comes to building muscle, boosting your performance, adding strength, or torching fat, staying hungry for success is key. No matter how hungry you are, however, plateaus and hurdles will rise. Whether your workout program stops yielding results or you just hit a motivational snag, the time will come when you need to push the envelope and hit some new training techniques.

Don’t get complacent with your workouts, personal bests, or results. Focus on progress, and keep getting better! Every training session is a chance to improve, especially if you add some new tools to your training kit. To kick things up a notch, break free of plateaus, and jumpstart your workout, check out these six cool tips and techniques.

1 Go Slow to Grow

Wander into any gym and you’re bound to see someone lifting at lightning speed. I’m sure you’ve seen a guy at your local gym blasting through biceps curls by the dumbbell rack, gunning each arm like it’s a death race. Alas, many trainees make this mistake. They perform every exercise and rep as quickly as possible, using momentum to swing the weight up before letting pull it back down.

When it comes to training, tempo and timing are key. Slow down your movement pattern. You don’t necessarily have to use a glacial training tempo, but you should pause at the top and bottom of each rep. Keep tension on the working muscle, but don’t let yourself swing the weight. Doing this will place more total stress on the muscle tissue, causing more stimulus for growth.

“When it comes to training, tempo and timing are key.”

If you really want to spur new results, slow the down the eccentric portion of your big lifts. The eccentric portion of a repetition is the lowering phase, like lowering the weight in a biceps curl. Slow eccentric lifting can create more mechanical muscular damage and lead to increased growth, so go slow when you want to grow!

2 Stagger Your Calories

If you’re like most people trying to build muscle or cut fat, you’re probably pounding calorie-boosting, muscle-building meals or eating light to ensure you come in at a calorie deficit. If you’re eating the right quantity and quality of foods, you should be seeing results in either direction. But are you seeing the best results possible? If progress has slowed, try staggering your calories.

Those who stagger their calories tend to see superior results over those who keep them at a baseline level throughout the week. Sure, staggering takes a bit more work on the planning front, but it’s worth it, and the main recipe is pretty darn simple: Eat more on the days you train, and less on the days you don’t.

If your aim is more size, a staggered calorie approach with a greater surplus on your training days will give you fuel for exercise and growth when you really need it. Likewise, if you’re dieting, taking a larger deficit on non-training days and eating closer to maintenance on workout days will keep you better fueled for intense training and help prevent a metabolic crash due to constant low-calorie intake.

“Find that next level, discover what it feels like, and then raise your expectations of what you need to do to create change.”

3 Train With Someone
Stronger

BPI Vice President James Grage rebuilt a competition-worthy physique after surviving a brutal car crash. Once he recreated his foundation, he found a workout buddy with more experience to take kick his results up a notch. “To take your training to the next level, you have to know what the next level is,” he says.

“You may think that you’re giving it 100 percent, but what are you basing that on?” James asks. “Do you really know what you’re capable of? You won’t know until you push yourself beyond what you’re familiar or comfortable with.” Train with someone who trains harder than you. Find that next level, discover what it feels like, and then raise your expectations of what you need to do to create change.

4 Alter Your Macronutrient Ratio

You’ve probably read diet advice that says moderate-to-high carbs, moderate protein, and lower fat intake is best for muscle-building success. But, have you ever tried something else? While a higher carb intake works for some people hungry for weight gain, others see even better results when they boost their fat intake and keep carbs down.

In short, don’t chain your diet to one specific macro ratio without engaging in some personal exploration. Once you’ve mastered calorie management, try shuffling your macronutrients around. Play around with your different macronutrient percentages to find what works best for your body. Different ratios might boost your results and help you feel better on a day-to-day basis.

5 Shut Down The Machines

Weight machines are great for specific applications and overall exercise variety. With many machines, you don’t have to worry as much about technique or form, but if you’re really looking to advance, free weights are essential. Using dumbbells and barbells requires more total muscle activation because you need to stabilize yourself through each lift. That same required stabilization will help strengthen your core and various accessory muscles.

Barbell Deadlift

6 Try A Heavy, High-Rep Set

If you really need to supercharge a single training session, combine intensity and volume for one heavy, high-rep set. Unlike other sets, where you goal is to move through each reps before resting, this protocol calls for you to take a brief 10-second pause between each rep you perform. Doing this will allow you to move into a higher rep range per set while using a heavier weight.

Using this technique, you can train your body to better tolerate fatigue while lifting a near-maximal load. You’ll start developing a higher level of muscle strength than you previously thought possible, and you’ll create more muscular damage and metabolic stress. Guess what those cause? More growth.

Sara Solomon believes training should be fun, fast, and intense. Instead of spending an hour counting calories burned on the elliptical or sweating it out on the treadmill, she does rapid-fire, intense workouts that shock her cardiovascular system while toning her muscles. She sets her timer and pushes to the max. It’s an easy-to-maintain program that fits into her on-the-go schedule.

Sara Solomon Fitness 360:
Watch The Video – 15:35

Sara trains six days per week, but doesn’t let her workouts rule her life. She sets her timer, increases the intensity, and goes balls-to-the-wall—at home. “I warm up with 10 minutes of jump rope, and then proceed with 20-25 minutes of high-intensity resistance interval training,” she says.

By cutting the length of her rest periods, cranking the intensity, and lifting heavy, Sara gets both her strength and cardiovascular training in one workout. She does it all with minimal equipment. “I’m using my own bodyweight,” Sara says. “I’m using a jump rope and just a few dumbbells around the house.” The key isn’t the equipment; it’s the drive. “I’m not a comfort-zone loser,” Sara says. “I’m constantly changing it up.”

Sara’s workouts are always different and progressive. She might target her lower extremities one day with deadlifts and squats in a 50-second on, 10-second off fashion for 25 minutes. The next day she might hit her upper body with exercises such as Arnold presses, reptile push-ups, or alternating anterior and lateral delt raises and triceps dips off a bench or chair. Either way, she always schedules time for recovery. “I always finish with 10 minutes of stretching and foam rolling,” she says. “It’s more important than anything else for the sake of injury prevention. It’s like flossing for me;it’s just something that has to be done daily.”

Most important, keep it simple. “If you complicate your workouts, you will run the risk of jeopardizing your daily compliance.”

While aerobic-style exercises can be an OK spot for gym newbies to start, she warns people not to make her initial mistake of falling into the steady-state cardio trap. “Aerobic exercise trains the body to become efficient,” Sara says. “Your body quickly adapts to repetitive aerobic exercise to ensure you use the least amount of oxygen and energy to perform the greatest amount of work. The decrease in resting energy expenditure that ensues will mean you have to either eat less or exercise longer just to maintain your fat loss.”

Most important, keep it simple. “If you complicate your workouts, you will run the risk of jeopardizing your daily compliance,” says Sara. “You should always look forward to your next workout, not dread it.”

Sara’s Efficient, Effective Training Plan

She has two styles of training: AMRAP (as many rounds as possible) in a fixed time period with minimal rest; and interval-timed workouts, where she sets a timer for a fixed work period between 30-50 seconds and a set rest period of just 10 seconds.

Sara lifts the heaviest weights she can manage safely to keep her metabolism elevated post-exercise, meaning she burns fat long after her workout is over. Twice a week she includes 4-10 minutes of interval sprinting on a spin bike or treadmill into her workout.

Aim for 8 sets of each glute exercise. Hustle!

Tabata HELL (glutes & jump rope)
Watch The Video – 07:37

Set your timer for 40 seconds of work, 10 seconds of rest. Perform the circuit once. It should take 12 minutes.

Ten-Minute Jump Rope HIIT
Watch The Video – 11:11

Shoulders: This circuit consists of 5 different shoulder exercises using resistance bands. Each is sandwiched between 30 seconds of high-paced rope work. Perform the circuit as many times as you can in 20 minutes.

Keep it mega-intense! You can probably get through it 3 times. Note that this particular workout video only features shoulders. Below is a video featuring back exercises. You can either perform these on separate days, or amalgamate them into one 20-minute workout.

Resistance Band HIIT (Shoulders)
Watch The Video – 11:32

Back: Set your timer for 30 seconds of work, 10 seconds of rest. Perform the circuit 4 times, which takes about 25 minutes. Keep it intense!

Back Attack
Watch The Video – 10:24

Set your timer for 30 seconds of work, 10 seconds of rest. Perform the circuit 3 times, which takes about 15 minutes.

HIIT Cardio Hell
Watch The Video – 07:51

Set your timer for 40 seconds of work, 10 seconds of rest. Perform the circuit 4 times, which takes about 20 minutes.

Make Your Pants Fall Off!
Watch The Video – 06:20

Perform the circuit 1 time if you are a beginner. This will take about 10 minutes. If you are not a beginner, then do it 2 times. Hustle between exercises.

Hellacious HIIT
Watch The Video – 13:32

Set your timer for 50 seconds of work, 10 seconds of rest. Perform the circuit 10 times for a fast, 10-minute workout.

Core Circuit with Stool
Watch The Video – 07:34

As Officer Daniel Banks tells it, every bar in America is littered with guys who think they’re MMA fighters because they watch it on TV while sucking down beers. But the police chief in Tripoli, Iowa, knows all too well that not every adversary is a big-talking wannabe. He takes no one for granted.

“Many prison inmates weight train two or three times per day, 365 days a year,” says Banks. “When they’re released back into society, I may encounter them in a criminal situation. So when I go to the gym, I train as though I’m fighting for my life.”

The truth is that public servants like Banks are fighting for our lives, not just their own. They battle criminals, natural disasters, and manmade calamities so that we can sleep at night and work out when we please. They plan for the unplanned and think about the unthinkable. Police officers, SWAT members, federal agents, firefighters, and paramedics are the saviors we need most when we expect it least.

We’ve all heard about emergency moms who can lift a ton without training to save their babies. But the public servants who see tragedies frequently can’t rely on such once-in-a-lifetime feats of strength. They need fitness that works around any excuse, overcomes any hurdle, and is every bit as strong as it looks.

Meet six everyday heroes who are up to the dual challenges of destroying workouts and preserving society. Ride along with them, and learn what “functional fitness” is all about.

1 Armed for Battle: Officer Daniel Banks

A 10-year police veteran, Banks says he’ll do whatever it takes to apprehend a suspect. He can back this attitude up with years of hard work pushing heavy iron in the gym. The results he’s been able to achieve have been impressive enough that he placed fourth out of 60 competitors at the 2010 “Muscle & Fitness” Model Search, his first and only contest. The 34-year-old, who stands 6-foot-4 and weighs 275 pounds, now represents Optimum Nutrition as a sponsored athlete while continuing to fight the bad guys.

QWhat’s your biggest challenge as a public servant and athlete?

“Finding time to get to the gym, let alone get in a full workout. After a 40-hour workweek, it doesn’t matter if you’re at your daughter’s first birthday party, church, on vacation, in the middle of a workout; you can be called away at a moment’s notice, 24-7. Then there are court cases and appearances, interviews that may have to be scheduled around what works for the suspect or victim, community projects, and so on. I find that I’m often the last guy to leave the gym as a result of these demands, but I still love my job and I love working out.”

Workout tip: “Make the most of the limited time you have by focusing on the quality of each repetition, not just how much weight you can move. In addition, slow down your movements to work on both the concentric and eccentric parts of the repetition.”

2 Arresting Officer: Detective Sandy Avelar

Sandy Avelar has time for everything but excuses. She does great work, looks great doing it, and still makes time to volunteer. She’s been doing police work for 15 years, including her current stint as a gang detective and riot squad member in Vancouver, British Columbia. The 5-foot-7, 130-pound stunner is also preparing to make her IFBB Pro Bikini debut at the Desert Muscle Bikini Pro in Mesa, Arizona, February 25. But even with these demands, she still finds time to sit the board of directors of the Boys Club Network for at-risk youth.

QHow has being a police officer made you better in the weight room?

“I’ve been a police officer for many years, so I’ve learned many lessons. Number one is that quitting is not an option. If I quit on the street, it could mean serious injury or death. I take the same approach in the gym. When I think I have nothing left, I push a little more. Even when it feels like I have nothing left to give, there’s always more deep inside me.”

Supplement tip: “Bring your protein shake to the gym and drink it before you leave. Your workout isn’t done until you’ve had it. And don’t be content with choking down a flavor you don’t like. My favorite powder is AllMax peanut butter chocolate. It mixes well and isn’t gritty.”

3 The Shredded Paramedic: Tamika Webber

You’re trapped in your car after an accident, badly injured, hoping someone can save you before your life goes up in flames. You need a strong, capable emergency worker like Tamika Webber, a paramedic and figure competitor from Melbourne, Australia. Webber teaches advanced life support to fellow paramedics, but is also a tireless competitor who most recently placed second in the tall class at the IFBB Nationals in 2012.

QWhat has working in emergency services taught you?

“To never take my health for granted. You are never too young or too old to make changes to your health. I learned more from one day on the job as an emergency paramedic than in the seven years I spent at university studying anatomy and physiology. Today, I work with obese patients, cancer patients, partygoers who OD, the elderly, and I take away lessons from all of them. There’s nothing like the seeing the effects of illness, much of it avoidable, to increase your own drive and determination in the gym to become fitter. Train hard!”

Motivation tip: “I follow the adage that reality is the mirror of your thoughts. The more you put in, the more you get out, and that includes fitness. There’s no quick fix or magic potion to achieving your goals overnight. Rather, you must set small achievable goals and stay focused on them.”

4 Swole Patrol: Joe Palumbo

You’re depositing your paycheck at the bank when suddenly you hear shouting and find yourself staring into the business end of a gun. You best hope may be SWAT team members like Joe Palumbo.

A 24-year police veteran, Palumbo is now a member of a SWAT team in New York. He’s also been an IFBB professional bodybuilder since 2001, bringing his 5-foot-7 frame down from 250 pounds off-season to less than 220 for contests. For good measure, he’s a certified Navy Seal fitness instructor and the director of physical performance for Infinite Labs.

QHow do you balance SWAT obligations with your fitness goals?

“SWAT and fitness are both 24-7 pursuits. We are a group of dedicated, highly trained, highly motivated officers who are on call 24 hours a day, every day of the year. We must be ready and prepared for a call-out on a moment’s notice.

To also be truly dedicated to fitness—and in my case, bodybuilding at a pro level—there is no room for, ‘Oh, I’ll just skip today.’ Because of my tactical training mentality, I always plan ahead and have a backup plan for my training and nutritional needs. All my meals are prepared hours in advance, and I always have enough for a 24 hour-span. Honestly, I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Workout tip: “When it comes to training, technique and approach are as important as exercise selection. Tearing down your muscles should only take a short time. One of the best ways to rip up your pecs quickly is to work to muscle failure.”

5 Packing A Punch: Mike Kurzeja

Mike Kurzeja has an 18-year background in law enforcement and now works as a federal agent for the U.S. government, but his title might as well be “Certified Badass.” The 5-10, 168-pounder has been boxing for 25 years. He went undefeated as a super-middleweight, but he has also weighed in as a light-heavy. This father of five boys and Optimum Nutrition-sponsored athlete is undoubtedly one of the toughest customers in the quiet town of Downers Grove, Illinois.

QAgent, father, and fighter—how do you keep it all together?

“I have a schedule that can vary from day work to afternoon work to midnight shift work at a moment’s notice. In addition, I sometimes travel, which means I can’t always work out at the same place. As a result, I have to be flexible and adapt my workouts to different times and different places. Where there is a will there is a way, though. I don’t miss workouts, and worst-case scenario, I can always do a core bodyweight workout in a hotel room or run outside if a gym isn’t available.”

Diet tip: “Keep nutrition simple and systematic. Aim for a macronutrient breakdown of 40 percent high-quality proteins, 40 percent carbohydrates, and 20 percent healthy fats. Supplement your daily caloric intake with protein powder and pre- and post-workout drinks as needed.”

6 Fight Fire With Fitness: Nadine Young

You wake up at 2 a.m., choking on smoke because the wiring in your home has caught fire. The better conditioned the firefighters coming to your rescue are, the better your odds of survival. And few are better conditioned than Nadine Young, 33, who has been extinguishing flames for almost 10 years in the Toronto suburb of Clarington, Ontario. The 5-foot-5 Young is a top Canadian figure competitor and fitness model, as well as a personal trainer, nutrition counselor, and the owner of a tiling business.

QHow do you juggle your public, private, and professional obligations?

“The never-ending rotating shifts take a physical toll, and the lack of normal schedule often makes it tough to do many of the things that non-shift workers consider to be normal. Much of the social aspect of on-duty crew life revolves around crew meals and, given that my lifestyle demands far different food choices than most people are interested in or prepared to make, I often find myself having to fend for myself during meals. But in the end, when you weigh all the plusses and minuses of working in the fire service, I wouldn’t change a thing.”

Workout tip: “To make the most of the limited time you have, get creative and use movements that really get the job done. I complete my biceps workout with a peaking movement, curling a bar attached to a cable on a preacher bench. The preacher bench forces the rest of my body out of the equation. This is one of my favorites, especially pre-contest.”

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