Big House Upper Body Challenge

Gentlemen:

Not sure if you are ready for this challenge - it is the work out I do at Fairfield Fire Station #2, also known as the "Big House." Equipment needed is a 16k bell, a high/low pulley rack (lat pull downs and seated rows) a heavy set of dumbbells, an adjustable bench, a bucket, and a cleaning woman.

This is a chest/back push/pull routine that we superset with KB swings. It goes as follows:

50 KB swings - 10 RH, 10 LH, 10 RH, 10 LH, 10 alternating immediately followed by 10 heavy lat pulldowns (pull up width grip) immediatley followed by 10 dumbell INCLINE presses. rest 30 secs, repeat 3 times - this is your first giant set, rest for 2 minutes, hydrate, then follow with

50 KB swings - 10 RH, 10 LH, 10 RH, 10 LH, 10 alternating immediately followed by 10 heavy seated rows, immediatley followed by 10 dumbell FLAT alternating presses. rest 30 secs, repeat 3 times - this is your second giant set, rest for 2 minutes, hydrate, then follow with

50 KB swings - 10 RH, 10 LH, 10 RH, 10 LH, 10 alternating immediately followed by 10 low pulley rows (1) immediately followed by 10 dumbell DECLINE presses. rest 30 secs, repeat 3 times - this is your third and final giant set, rest for 2 minutes, hydrate, then stretch.

Total Swings - 450
Total Pulls - 90
Total Presses - 90

Now you understand why you may need the bucket and the cleaning woman. Should take 45 minutes or less. Enjoy the pain.

Notes - on your swings - think about using your legs, sit back into the squat and use your legs to swing, you will understand why this is important after your 300th rep. If you don't use your legs, you will either fail or need the cleaning woman. Also - if you feel any pain in your lower back check your breathing - remember to sniff at the bottom of the movement, tighten your abs and train behind the shield - as you may notice - there is no separate core movement - each rep is a core movement.

(1) Low Pulley Row - the angle of this movement must be different than the seated row - should be the exact opposite of the decline press.

Adaption - if you do not have a high low pulley machine - use a pull up bar for the high pulls, bent dumbell rows (or renegade rows) instead of seated rows, and adjusted dumbbell rows (face down on the incline bench) or chainsaw rips for the low pulley. Finally -if you don't have your 16k kettlebell, use a 35 lb olympic flat plate. Not the best but it works. (if you have trouble perfoming 1 hand swings use 2 hands.) Train hard, train safe, Capt.