It Takes Two: Pairing Exercises for Added Intensity

By: Michael Mejia
From: Men's Health Better Body Blueprint: The Start-Right, Stick-to-It Strength Training Plan

What if you train in a crowded gym that makes it impossible to secure many pieces of equipment in a row? Or perhaps you're a home exerciser who finds it difficult to set up the weight for that many consecutive exercises without breaking the flow of your workout. Fear notwe've come up with a series of mini-circuits designed to provide you with the benefits of PHA without all the aggravation. With these, you select two exercises that each work different areas of your body (i.e., upper body and lower body; or lower body and core) and continuously alternate between these until you perform the desired number of sets. You then move on to another pair of exercises and perform them in the same manner. Simply follow these set and rest interval guidelines: 10 to 15 reps per exercise with 15 to 20 seconds of rest between sets.

Mini-Circuit Workout #1
Barbell bench press and dumbbell split squat: 3 sets each
Incline reverse crunch and lying leg curl: 3 sets each
Cable row and dumbbell calf raise: 3 sets each

Mini-Circuit Workout #2
Lat pulldown and barbell squat: 3 sets each
Neutral-grip dumbbell shoulder press and rotational situp: 3 sets each
Dumbbell incline bench press and Romanian deadlift: 3 sets each

To intensify the fat burning, you may want to throw in little 1-to-2-minute stints of intense cardio exercise after completing each exercise pairing. This is another way to increase the energy demands and subsequent afterburn of the workouts. So you might elect to throw in 60 to 90 seconds on the rowing machine after your first pairing and then a brief interval on the stationary bike after the second. Just to be sure to keep your RPE level manageable (13 to 16) since you're never really getting a chance to recover.

The great thing about PHA training, regardless of how you choose to do it, is that it's great for beginners of all types. The lighter loads and higher reps make it perfect for introducing you to strength training while simultaneously bolstering tendon and ligament strength to help prevent injury. Best of all, PHA enables you to get a tremendous amount of work done in a relatively short time without being too drained. This is without question one of the best ways to promote adherence to an exercise program

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Reprinted from: Men's Health Better Body Blueprint: The Start-Right, Stick-to-It Strength Training Plan © 2006 by Michael Mejia. Permission granted by Rodale, Inc., Emmaus, PA 18098.

© 2006 Rodale Inc.
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