6 months ago, men’s health Fitness advisor Bill Hartman, PT, was like many of us: he was in great shape, but years of working long hours and eating on the go had taken him in the wrong direction. Sure, I worked out hard several days a week and ate healthy food. “But I wasn’t paying attention to portion sizes,” he says. For example, a handful of cashew snacks often turns into five or six, leaving you with a 600-calorie tab.
With a 5-0 blowout approaching, Hartman, co-owner of IFAST Gym in Indianapolis, needed inspiration. “Jack LaLanne used to have big physical contests on his birthday,” he says. “I thought I’d try something a little crazy.” Hartman’s goal is to shred his body and get back to the shape he had in his 20s when he was a competitive bodybuilder.
Losing fat and gaining muscle is getting harder every year, so you’ll probably have to work harder this time around. Once you’re over 35, the challenge increases further due to decreased testosterone and slower metabolism. Still, the path to a bodybuilder’s physique is the same: strict diet and exercise.
First, Hartman has devised the perfect fitness plan. Then he recruited a friend. men’s health He turned to nutritional advisor Dr. Mike Roussel to create a nutritional program that satisfies his appetite and strengthens his core.
“After that, everything went to plan,” Hartman says.
Hartman has now lost more than 25 pounds and his body fat hovers around 7 percent. Losing fat and weight benefited Hartman’s overall health by reducing inflammation and improving insulin levels. These two factors affect your health as you age. “Small dogs live longer,” Hartman says, citing a natural example.
Want your bark back? Follow the four basics of Hartman’s program.
4 steps to 5-0 shredding
Ease Into It
Many men think that the only way to build abdominal muscles is to go to the gym and reduce your calorie intake. But doing too much too quickly can cause muscle burn and mental burnout. Yes, big goals require big measures. “But if things get extreme quickly and then progress stops, where do we go from there?” Roussel asks. So start by cutting 200 to 300 calories per day from your diet. Stick to it. Once you reach that plateau (usually within 2-4 weeks), cut out 200-300 more pieces and repeat. For example, Hartman began a plan to reduce his daily calorie intake to 2,200 calories. The intake was then further reduced to 2,000, ending at 1,750.
get flexible at the gym
A typical training program will prescribe a specific number of sets, such as 3 or 5 sets. However, performance varies from day to day due to influences such as sleep and stress, so the rules for any given day may be too strict or too easy. That’s why Hartman bases his training program on “self-adjusting” sets. In these cases, the reps are the same, but the sets vary depending on performance. Do as much as you can until your form breaks down or you feel weak. This strategy accomplishes two things. Give your body enough stimulation to progress, and keep applying the brakes to avoid going too deep and injuring yourself. To give it a try, check out the workout below.
keep having fun
For the past 10 years, Hartman has taken his gym interns to lunch at a local Mexican bar to talk about shopping, decompress, and reflect on their week. “Obviously, fajitas, margaritas, and all the potato chips I could eat were no longer flying,” Hartman says. So Russell helped him find meals that were both enjoyable and effective for weight loss. What is the solution? Spicy chicken breast on top of vegetables. “Maintaining normal habits while dieting is the key to sustainability,” says Roussel.
plan ahead
Hartman was in the middle of a transformation process and had to travel to China for 10 days. He stuck to his nutrition plan by packing 24 Epic Protein Bars, a 10-pack of Chef’s Cut Buffalo Style Real Chicken Jerky, and 4 cans of cashews. “When working on your goals, you need to make nutritional decisions in advance,” says Roussel. At home, Hartman has posted his meal plans on the refrigerator so he and his wife can easily shop and cook together. “She’s also lost weight,” Hartman said.
Bonus tip: Why cardio is a weight loss turbo
Hitting a ball against a wall in the gym six days a week can actually hinder your muscle gains. Here’s why: The body needs time to recover and build muscle between hard gym sessions. If you limit that time by doing intense training for more than two days in a row, your muscles won’t be able to rebuild. Instead, they just keep saying bad things.
To make progress between hard sessions, Hartman did some relaxing cardio. These increased blood flow to the muscles and accelerated recovery. Try a stair climber or do bodyweight circuits like squats, step-ups, reverse rows, and push-ups. Leave it on for 45-60 minutes. Try to keep your heart rate between 120 and 150 beats per minute.
Fast track to six pack workout
Hartman designed this He’s got a training plan that will keep him ripped well into his 50s and beyond.
This program works out 5 days a week. Lift up on the 1st, 3rd and 5th day. Here’s how: The first exercise is to “auto-adjust” the set. Then complete two different circuits.
On strength training days (1, 3, and 5), start with the main exercise. Each basic exercise is performed using an “auto-tune” set. This means you’ll be doing 3 to 6 sets depending on your form. If your form breaks down in the fourth set, for example, you’re done for the day. Some days you may be able to complete 6 sets. This method will give you the perfect amount for muscle building. Then run the circuit. Perform the listed exercises in order for the prescribed number of times. Once you complete the circuit, your training is over.
This program can last from 4 to 12 weeks.
Day 1
Key Exercises 1
- set: 3～6
- manager: Use a weight that can be lifted 4 to 6 times
- rest: 2-3 minutes between sets
circuit 1
- Exercise: 2, 3, 4
- manager: 6 to 8 pieces each
- rest: 75 seconds
- round: Do as many things as you can until the form fails
circuit 2
- Exercise: 6, 12
- manager: 8-10 pieces each
- rest: 75 seconds
- round: 2
2nd day
aerobic exercise
- 45-60 minutes at conversational pace
3rd day
Main exercise 5
- set: 3～6
- manager: Use a weight that can be lifted 4 to 6 times
- rest: 2-3 minutes between sets
circuit 3
- Exercise: 4, 7, 8
- manager: 6 to 8 pieces each
- rest: 75 seconds
- round: Do as many things as you can until the form fails
circuit 4
- Exercise: 6, 12
- manager: 8-10 pieces each
- rest: 75 seconds
- round: 2
Day 4
aerobic exercise
- 45-60 minutes at conversational pace
Day 5
Main exercises 9
- set: 3～6
- manager: Use a weight that can be lifted 4 to 6 times
- rest: 2-3 minutes between sets
circuit 5
- Exercise: 10, 2, 11
- manager: 6 to 8 pieces each
- rest: 75 seconds
- round: Do as many things as you can until the form fails
circuit 6
- Exercise: 6, 12
- manager: 8-10 pieces each
- rest: 75 seconds
- round: 2
barbell floor press
Lie on your back and hold a barbell above your chest with your arms straight and knees bent. Lower the barbell until your upper arms touch the floor. Pause and push the weight back to the starting position. If you don’t want to lie on the floor, do a regular bench press.
Dumbbell Alternate Row Incline Bench Press
Lie face up on an incline bench set at a low angle. Hold dumbbells above your chest with arms straight and palms facing forward. Slowly lower your right arm to the side of your chest, keeping your left arm extended over your body. Push up with your right arm and lower your left arm to return to the starting position. That’s 1 rep.
dumbbell straight leg deadlift
Place dumbbells in front of your thighs at arm’s length. Without rounding your hips, bend at the waist and lower your torso toward the floor. Pause and return to starting position.
lat pulldown
Attach the lat pulldown handle to the high pulley of the cable station. Grab the handles and sit in front of the weight stack. Slowly pull the handle towards your chest. Pause and slowly reverse the movement.
chinup
Hang onto the pull-up bar at arm’s length with a shoulder-width grip below you. This is the starting position. Pull your chest toward the bar as quickly as possible, pause, and then lower to the starting position over 2 seconds.
suitcase carry
Grab a heavy dumbbell and walk with it under your arm. Keep your entire torso straight. Walk 100 feet. Then change sides and walk back 100 feet.
dumbbell front squat
Hold the dumbbells with your palms facing inward and your upper arms perpendicular to the floor. Push your hips back and lower your body into a squat position. Then push up.
standing single arm kettlebell push
Hold the kettlebell in your right hand and stand with your arms bent so the kettlebell is just outside your right shoulder. Stretch your left hand out to the side. Push the weights overhead until your arms are straight. Then lower it to the starting position. (You can also use dumbbells instead of kettlebells.) Perform all repetitions. Then switch hands and repeat. Do not rest between the sides.
deadlift
Bend your hips and knees, place your arms just outside your legs, and grab the barbell using an overhand grip. Then stand up, pull the bar off the floor, and thrust your hips forward. Put it back on the floor.
single arm dumbbell row
Hold a dumbbell in your left hand and place your right hand and right knee on a flat bench. Lower your torso until it is almost parallel to the floor. Hang the dumbbells from your shoulders at arm’s length. Pull the dumbbells to the side of your chest. Pause and return to the beginning. Do all reps, then switch sides and repeat.
high knee step up
Grab two dumbbells and place your left foot on a bench or step. Press through your left heel and slowly lift your body onto the bench while raising your right knee to a 90-degree angle. Take 2 seconds to lower your right foot back to the floor. Do all reps, then switch legs and repeat.
kettlebell pullover
Lie on your back and hold the kettlebell corner above your chest with your arms straight. Keep your hips and knees at 90 degrees and your feet together. Take a deep breath. As you exhale, slowly lower the kettlebell behind your head, keeping your hips on the floor. Pause; inhale and return to the starting position.
This article was originally published in the October 2016 issue of the magazine. Men’s Health.
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Michael Easter is a health and fitness writer, visiting lecturer at UNLV, and author of the following books: crisis of comfort.
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