Undergoing beta testing at the moment is my latest brain child, the Bare 5 Fit Protocol. Designed to help create strong, functional and aesthetically well developed people, it taps into several modalities and disciplines. It is a jack of all trades approach that with some consistency and progression will enable you to start becoming a master of the body.
Like every other fitness regime out there it does not contain every exercise, rep range or combination that humans need. It is however, a program containing the exercises and stimulus that comprise what I consider to be the most essential, best bang for your buck and variable template. Power, strength, bodyweight control, mobility and movement are all involved on a weekly basis and should be gradually improved upon week to week.
The basic program will be covered first followed by a more detailed breakdown and links to videos of the movements/exercises.
BARE 5 FIT PROTOCOL
The Overall Picture
4-6 weeks of structured work phases separated by 1-2 weeks of variety work.
Phases consist of primarily compound movements.
3 workouts, with 1-2 off days between.
~ 5 exercises each workout.
3-6 sets each exercise.
5-12 reps each set.
1-2 weeks between phases of structured workouts for rest, recovery and addition of a variety of movements.
PHASE 1
Workout 1: Power
Clean & Press
Muscle Up
Romanian Deadlift
Ab Rollout
Bicep Curl
Workout 2: Kettlebell & Bodyweight
Turkish Get Up
KB Swing
Sprint
One Arm Push-up
Body Row
Handstand
Workout 3: Strength
Pistol Squat
Squat
Bench Press
Weighted Chin-up
Plank
**VARIETY WORK
2 weeks of random workouts, moving the body around, with very little structure. The idea is to do things different than in the phases.
PHASE 2
Workout 4: Power
One Arm DB Snatch
Deep Step Up
One Leg Deadlift One Arm Row (OLD OARs)
Ball Slams
70 Degree Incline DB Hammer Curl & Press
Workout 5: Bodyweight
Row & Run
Muscle Up
Box Jumps
Handstand
Hamstring Drop to Plyometric Pushups
Core & Sprint
(Hanging Leg Raise, Seated Curl Ups, Roll Out
Workout 6: Strength
Front Squat
Deadlift/RDL
Overhead Press
One Arm Cable Row
One Arm Cable Push
Cable Rotation
**VARIETY WORK
1 week.
PHASE 3
Workout 7: Vertical Push & Pull
Hang Power Clean
One Arm DB Shoulder Press
Weighted Chin-up
Weighted Dip
BB Bicep Curl
DB Lateral Raise
Workout 8: Knee Dominant Lower Body
Box Squat
Rear Foot Elevated Split Squat
Front Loaded Lunge/Walking Lunge
Leg Raise Hip Thrust
Squat Jumps
Workout 9: Horizontal Push & Pull
X Pull
Incline Bench BB Row
Incline Bench Press
Seated Cable Row
Cable Fly
Cable Reverse Fly
Cable Preacher Curl
Cable Overhead Bar Tricep Extension
Workout 10: Hip Dominant Lower Body
RDL
Bench Hip Thrust
Elevated Hamstring Ball Curl
Alternating Side Lunge
Elevated Ball Plank
Calf Raise
Ball Crunch
**VARIETY WORK
1 week.
PHASE 4
Light, Moderate & Heavy Days of:
Clean & Jerk
Squat
Bench
Deadlift
Chin-up
THE DETAILS
PHASE 1
Workout 1: Power Focus
Clean & Press
Work up to sets of 5 reps. Add 5 pounds to each set each week.
Muscle Up
Work up to 4 sets of 8. Once achieved, add weight to the body.
** Pull-up and Dip superset can be used until muscle up is doable.
RDL: Romanian Deadlift
Work up to 4 sets of 8. Once achieved, add weight.
3-4 Supersets of:
Elevated Rollout w/ Ball 10-12 reps
** Ab Wheel can be substituted if you don’t have lat pull machine and/or ball.
21s
** BB Bicep Curl can be substituted.
Workout 2: Kettlebell & Movement Day
Turkish Get Up
5-6 sets of 3 reps each side.
Can use any kind of weight, including KB, DB, Barbell or sandbag.
4-5 sets of Mini Litminov Combo:
KB Swing 10-20 reps
Sprint 10-20 seconds, preferably outside, but incline treadmill works too.
One Arm Push-up
4 sets of 5-8 each side. Once achieved, add weight to the body or narrow the feet/stance.
** Rocky Pushups for the advanced.
Body Row
4 sets of 8-12 reps.
First preference is neutral grip feet elevated. Partner can hold feet overhead if using pull-up bar.
Handstands
Practice for 1-2 minutes.
** Wall handstand or wall walk up can be substituted.
Workout 3: Strength Day
Pistol Squat
3-4 sets of 5 each side, working from bodyweight up.
** One leg squat can be substituted.
Squat
3-4 sets of 8-10 reps.
Bench Press
4-5 sets of 5 reps.
Weighted Chin-up
5 sets of 5 reps.
Plank
2-3 minutes
PHASE 2
Workout 4: Power
One Arm DB Snatch
5-6 sets of 5 reps each, working up from warmup weight to max for 5 reps. Often alternating sides is a good idea.
Deep Step Up
3 sets of 10.
As much ROM as possible. Use bar or DBs to add weight.
One Leg Deadlift One Arm Row (OLD OARs)
3 sets of 8-12, using KB or DB, contralateral weighting.
Ball Slams
5 sets of 5-8 reps, 8-20lb ball.
70 Degree Incline DB Hammer Curl & Press
4 sets of 10-12 reps.
Workout 5: Bodyweight
Row & Run
3-5 sets of 30 seconds rowing & 30 seconds running done without rest.
Muscle Up
5 sets of 5-8 reps, weighted if possible.
Can substitute a superset of weighted pullups and weighted dips.
3-5 Supersets of:
Box Jumps 10 reps as high as possible.
Handstand 15+ seconds, use a wall if necessary.
Hamstring Drop to Plyometric Pushups
3 sets of 5-10 reps. As hamstrings fatigue, rely more on the Plyo push-up.
3 rounds of 10 reps each:
Hanging Leg Raise
Seated Curl Ups
Roll Out
Workout 6: Strength
4-6 Alternating sets of 10 reps each:
Deadlift/RDL
Front Squat
Overhead Press
2-3 sets of 10 reps
3-5 working sets of 5 reps
One Arm Cable Row
3-4 sets of 10 reps
One Arm Cable Push
3-4 sets of 10 reps
Cable Rotation
2-3 sets of 12-15 reps
PHASE 3
Workout 7: Vertical Push & Pull
Hang Power Clean
5-7 sets of 10 reps, 3 warmup, 2-4 working sets.
(Power Shrugs 1-3 sets of 10-20 reps as extra work if desired)
One Arm DB Shoulder Press
5 sets of 10 reps
Weighted Chin-up
5 sets of 5 reps
Weighted Dip
5 sets of 8 reps
4 Supersets of:
BB Bicep Curl 12 reps
DB Lateral Raise 12 reps
Workout 8: Knee Dominant Lower Body
Box Squat
3-5 sets of 10 reps
Rear Foot Elevated Split Squat
4 sets of 10 reps
4 supersets of:
Front Loaded Lunge/Walking Lunge (10-15 each side)
Leg Raise Hip Thrust (20-25 reps)
Squat Jumps
5 sets on the minute, ranging 5-12 reps
Workout 9: Horizontal Push & Pull
Cable X Pull
3-4 sets of 15-20 reps
Incline Bench BB Row
4-6 sets of 10-12 reps
Incline Bench Press
3-5 sets of 10 reps
Seated Cable Row
4 sets of 12 reps
3-4 supersets of 12 reps each:
Cable Fly
Cable Reverse Fly
3-4 supersets of 12 reps each:
Cable Preacher Curl Cable Overhead Bar Tricep Extension
Workout 10: Hip Dominant Lower Body
RDL
4-5 sets of 8 reps
Bench Hip Thrust
4-5 sets of 10 reps
Elevated Hamstring Ball Curl
3 sets of 15-20
3 supersets of:
Alternating Side Lunge 10-12 reps
Elevated Ball Plank 1 min
3 supersets of:
Timed Calf Raise 45-60 sec
Ball Crunch 15-25 reps
PHASE 4
Basic 5 Light
3 sets of 15 reps
Clean & Jerk (10 reps)
Squat
Bench
Deadlift
Chin-up (with band)
Basic 5 Moderate
4 sets of 8
Clean & Jerk (5 reps)
Squat
Bench
Deadlift
Chin-up
Basic 5 Heavy
5 sets of 3
Clean & Jerk (1 rep)
Squat
Bench
Deadlift
Chin-up
EXERCISE VIDEOS
Clean & Press (video)
Muscle Up (video)
RDL (video)
Elevated Ball Rollout (video)
21s (video)
Turkish Get Up (video)
KB Swing (video)
Incline Treadmill Sprint (video)
Rocky Push-up (video)
Hanging Body Row (video)
Pistol Squat (video)
Squat (video)
Bench Press (video)
Chin-up (video)
Plank (video)
One Arm DB Snatch (video)
Deep Step Up (video)
OLD OARs (video)
Ball Slams (video)
Incline DB Hammer Curl & Press (video)
Row & Run
Muscle Up (video)
Box Jump (video)
Handstand
Hamstring Drop to Plyo Push-up (video)
Hanging Leg Raise (video)
Seated Ab Curl Up (video)
Elevated Ab Wheel Rollout (video)
Deadlift (video)
Front Squat (video)
Overhead Press (video)
One Arm Cable Row (video)
One Arm Cable Push (video)
Cable Rotation (video)
Substitutes:
Pull-up (video)
Dip (video)
Ab Wheel Rollout (video)
Bicep Curl (video)
Alternating One Arm Push-up (video)
One Leg Squat (video)
Bare 5 