15 Minute Power Workout
Fifteen Minute Power Workout
By Mark Philippi CSCS
I used to believe that I needed at least an hour of uninterrupted time to get in a quality workout. Now, with my current schedule, unless I am training for a contest it is very difficult to have an hour to train. I am forced to get more frequent highly productive short workouts in throughout the week. This workout is designed to be completed in fifteen minutes but will still enable you to develop massive amounts of strength and hypertrophy.
Group Exercise Speed/Tempo Work sets Reps Rest
A RDL/Row/Shrug Controlled 3 5 30 s
B Decline Pushup 3-1-1 3 8 30 s
C Db Lunge Controlled 3 8 30 s
D Db Rotation Controlled 3 15 30 s
The workout is designed to be done in a circuit format progressing from A through D three times. Go through each exercise one time with a very light weight to warm-up the body. Pick weights for each exercise that fit the reps given but start conservatively and increase each time through the circuit.
A. RDL/Row/Shrug: The posture used to start all standing lifts is shoulders pulled back, head and spine neutral, core set tight (belly button pulled in squeezing your anti-pee muscles), and knees slightly flexed. Start with the bar held at arms length in front of the body. The feet are placed under the shoulders and the overhand grip is the same width on the bar. Begin the lift by pushing the hips backward lowering the bar to the floor. Keep the knees slightly flexed and the bar next to the legs. When the back is parallel to the floor, pause for a moment and perform a bent row pulling the bar to the sternum and returning it to the bottom RDL position. Complete the RDL by extending the hips and pulling the bar back up the legs to the starting position. After returning to the starting position, perform a slow and controlled shrug of the shoulders. Throughout the whole lift make sure to keep the core set tight. This will help to protect the back. If at any point during the lift the back becomes rounded, stop and reset the posture.
B. Decline Pushup: Start with the hands placed shoulder width and the feet elevated on a box or bench above the shoulders. The core needs to be set tight so the body stays erect. Perform a pushup in a slow controlled manner taking three seconds to lower the body to the bottom position- arms bent to a 90 degree angle. Pause for one second and then press the body up to the starting position.
C. Db Lunge: Start with the posture mentioned in A above. The Db’s should be held at the side at arms length. Begin by taking a slightly greater than normal stride forward landing first on the heel and then the ball of the foot. The back leg should flex and the back knee should barely touch the ground. The shin of the stride leg should be slightly angled forward and the majority of the weight on the front foot should be distributed on the front half or ball of the foot (jumping position). From this position drive backward off of the front foot to the starting position. Perform all the reps on one leg before progressing to the other leg.
D. Db Rotation: This exercise is done in the standing position with the posture used in A and C. It is designed to stabilize the core using a rotating motion with a dumbbell. Start with a light Db held like a big wine glass in front of the body. Pretend you are shooting a pistol. Keep the core set very tight, and make sure there is no lower body movement during the lift. Rotate the db from the front center of the body to just outside the shoulder and back. Keep the shoulders square. Focus on holding the torso erect and tight while you are moving the weight outside the shoulders and back. Perform all the reps to one side before going the other direction.
While doing these exercises focus on the quality of the exercise movement. Make sure that you adhere to the rest periods. This will force the body to recover from exercise to exercise.
Mark Philippi CSCS owns and operates PSI-Philippi Sports Institute. Mark was previously the Director of Strength and Conditioning at UNLV for 15 years and also a visiting full-time instructor in the Kinesiology department an additional two years. Mark has won a National and World Championship in Powerlifting in 1996, and has competed in many professional strongman competitions worldwide, including ESPN’s World’s Strongest Man Contest seven times; winning the title of America’s Strongest Man in 1997.