I recently read an article on Bodybuilding.com by Jim Stoppani called “Six Week Shred: Torch Fat With HIIT 100s.” I was looking for something new to shake up my workouts, and as a believer in the power of HIIT (high intensity interval training), my interest was piqued.
The concept is simple: there are three workouts, each performed twice a week, leaving one day for rest. Three body parts are trained during each workout as follows:
Workout 1: legs (quads, hamstrings), triceps, calves
Workout 2: chest, back, abs
Workout 3: shoulders, biceps, forearms
For each body part, there are three exercises. You perform the first as ten sets of ten reps at about 50% of your ten-rep max. Then, you increase the weight to 100% of your ten rep max and complete three more sets of the same exercise to failure (you will unlikely be able to complete ten reps after the 10×10). After that, you do two more exercises for the same body part – three sets to failure on each.
Here is a what a leg workout might look like:
Squats: 10×10 at 50% of 10 rep max, followed by 3 sets to failure at 100% of 10 rep max
Leg curls: 3 sets to failure at 100% of 10 rep max
Leg extensions: 3 sets to failure at 100% of 10 rep max
Timing
Rest intervals are the key parts of this workout. Stoppani suggests starting with 60 seconds between each set, and decreasing the rest interval by 10 seconds each week, until you get to the point where you are completing the 10×10 as one set of 100 reps. Accordingly, the plan is designed to cover a 6-week span.
ThisGirlTrains Criticism
I’ve done the three workouts over the last three days, and I have to say, it’s an ass-kicker. If you follow it correctly, you WILL be sore. I had a hard time waiting the full 60 seconds between each set, and I think that the rest period that you start at may vary depending on your current level of fitness. It may also take a little experimenting in the beginning to figure out what weights you should be using.
The only thing I don’t care for is that the same three workouts are repeated for 6 weeks. Not only does that get kind of boring fast, but the principle of adaptation is far more likely to kick in with that kind of repetition. With that said, I think it would be very easy to take the principles that Stoppani outlined in this article and vary the workouts. For example, instead of repeating the leg workout described above, you could keep the sets/reps the same, but change the exercises, like this:
Leg Press: 10×10 at 50% of 10 rep max, followed by 3 sets to failure at 100% of 10 rep max
Dead Lifts: 3 sets to failure at 100% of 10 rep max
Lunges: 3 sets to failure at 100% of 10 rep max
How I am implementing this routine:
Day 1: Legs/Calves/Triceps
Legs
Squats: 10×10 at 50% of 10 rep max, followed by 3 sets to failure at 100% of 10 rep max
Leg curls: 3 sets to failure at 100% of 10 rep max
Leg extensions: 3 sets to failure at 100% of 10 rep max
Triceps
Tricep Pushdown: 10×10 at 50% of 10 rep max, followed by 3 sets to failure at 100% of 10 rep max
Dips (weighted, if necessary): 3 sets to failure at 100% of 10 rep max
Skull Crushers: 3 sets to failure at 100% of 10 rep max
Calves
Standing calf Raises: 10×10 at 50% of 10 rep max, followed by 3 sets to failure at 100% of 10 rep max
Seated Calf Raises: 3 sets to failure at 100% of 10 rep max
Standing Calf Raises: 3 sets to failure at 100% of 10 rep max
Day 2: Chest/Back/Abs
Chest
Flat Bench: 10×10 at 50% of 10 rep max, followed by 3 sets to failure at 100% of 10 rep max
Cable Crossovers: 3 sets to failure at 100% of 10 rep max
Incline Dumbbell Press: 3 sets to failure at 100% of 10 rep max
Back
Lat Pulldown: 10×10 at 50% of 10 rep max, followed by 3 sets to failure at 100% of 10 rep max
Straight Arm Pulldown: 3 sets to failure at 100% of 10 rep max
Bent Over Barbell Row: 3 sets to failure at 100% of 10 rep max
Abs
Reverse Crunch: 10×10, bodyweight
Crunch: 10×10, bodyweight
Roman Chair: 10×10, bodyweight
Day 3: Shoulders/Biceps/Forearms
Shoulders
Dumbbell Shoulder Press: 10×10 at 50% of 10 rep max, followed by 3 sets to failure at 100% of 10 rep max
Side Lateral Raise: 3 sets to failure at 100% of 10 rep max
Seated Bent Over Rear Delt Raise: 3 sets to failure at 100% of 10 rep max
Biceps
Dumbbell Curls: 10×10 at 50% of 10 rep max, followed by 3 sets to failure at 100% of 10 rep max
Hammer Curls: 3 sets to failure at 100% of 10 rep max
Incline Dumbbell Curls: 3 sets to failure at 100% of 10 rep max
Forearms
Barbell Wrist Curls: 10×10 at 50% of 10 rep max, followed by 3 sets to failure at 100% of 10 rep max
Day 4: Rest
Day 5: Legs/Calves/Triceps
Legs
Leg Press: 10×10 at 50% of 10 rep max, followed by 3 sets to failure at 100% of 10 rep max
Dead Lifts: 3 sets to failure at 100% of 10 rep max
Lunges: 3 sets to failure at 100% of 10 rep max
Triceps
Tricep Pushdown (Ropes): 10×10 at 50% of 10 rep max, followed by 3 sets to failure at 100% of 10 rep max
Tricep Extension (Dumbbell): 3 sets to failure at 100% of 10 rep max
Dips (weighted, if necessary): 3 sets to failure at 100% of 10 rep max
Calves
Standing calf Raises: 10×10 at 50% of 10 rep max, followed by 3 sets to failure at 100% of 10 rep max
Seated Calf Raises: 3 sets to failure at 100% of 10 rep max
Standing Calf Raises: 3 sets to failure at 100% of 10 rep max
Day 6: Chest/Back/Abs
Chest
Dumbbell Bench Press: 10×10 at 50% of 10 rep max, followed by 3 sets to failure at 100% of 10 rep max
Pec Deck: 3 sets to failure at 100% of 10 rep max
Decline Bench Press: 3 sets to failure at 100% of 10 rep max
Back
Seated Cable Row: 10×10 at 50% of 10 rep max, followed by 3 sets to failure at 100% of 10 rep max
Weighted Back Extensions: 3 sets to failure at 100% of 10 rep max
Cable Lat Pulldown (singles) 3 sets to failure at 100% of 10 rep max
Abs
Planks: 10 sets to failure
Reverse Crunch (stability ball): 10 sets to failure
Crunches: 10×10, bodyweight
Day 7: Shoulders/Biceps/Forearms
Shoulders
Barbell Shoulder Press: 10×10 at 50% of 10 rep max, followed by 3 sets to failure at 100% of 10 rep max
Front Dumbbell Raises: 3 sets to failure at 100% of 10 rep max
Rear Delts on Pec Deck: 3 sets to failure at 100% of 10 rep max
Biceps:
Preacher Curl: 10×10 at 50% of 10 rep max, followed by 3 sets to failure at 100% of 10 rep max
Concentration Curls: 3 sets to failure at 100% of 10 rep max
Side Bicep Cable Curls: 3 sets to failure at 100% of 10 rep max
Forearms
Barbell Wrist Curls: 10×10 at 50% of 10 rep max, followed by 3 sets to failure at 100% of 10 rep max
And…Cardio?
Cardio everyday, 40-60 minutes, performed as a separate workout from weight training (teaching spin 4x/week, and running or stepmill the other two).
There you have it! Be sure to leave your comments below!
