Quick Morning Workout - Build Muscle, Burn Fat

I would be a liar if I said I enjoy morning workouts. They suck. Well, at least for me.

You might enjoy them.

Related - 8 Week Get Shredded Workout

When the alarm clock goes off two hours earlier than I want it to, and I'm fumbling for my phone, only one thought comes to mind: "Let me just skip today's workout and get some more sleep." It's much easier to force myself out of bed to earn my daily income than it is to smash weights.

So to save sleep, I've decided to come up with a quick morning workout that will help you build muscle while also keeping your heart rate elevated. Each session should take you about 30 minutes, give or take. If you hit the gym four times per week, this will give you an extra eight to twelve hours of sleep per month.

I'll take it.

You can either use this program as it is written and stick with brief workouts on a daily basis, or simply borrow one of these brief sessions when you hit the snooze button one too many times and are running late to the gym.

Quick Morning Workout - 4 Day Split

This is a four-day workout split, which simply means you'll be training four days per week using a different workout each day. Here is a sample training schedule:

• Monday - Chest, Triceps, and Abs
• Tuesday - Back and Biceps
• Thursday - Shoulders, Traps, Calves, and Abs
• Friday - Quads and Hamstrings

Dumbbell Bench Press. After each set of dumbbell bench presses, immediately drop to the floor and perform as many reps of push-ups as possible. Rest exactly 60 seconds before moving on to your next dumbbell bench press and push-up superset.

Before beginning your first working set of dumbbell benches, perform a couple of warm-up sets. For your working sets, when you are able to perform 10 reps for each of the three sets, move up to heavier dumbbells.

By now, you are about 12-15 minutes into your workout. Next up you will perform two-minute block sets.

During an exercise's two-minute block, you will go all out and perform as many reps as possible. Rest as needed, but only briefly.

Pick a starting weight that allows you to perform about 12-15 reps before you reach failure. Rest as needed, then get back after it and perform more reps. Don't worry about rest periods. Attack each two-minute block with the goal of performing as many reps as humanly possible.

You will be winded, but wow, will this leave your muscles pumped and eager to grow. This style of training is called "rest-pause," and it is an excellent way to build muscle.

Rest about two to three minutes in between each block set. Following these exercises, you'll be at about the 20-25 minute mark of your training session.

We will finish off this workout with a tri-set, or three exercises performed back-to-back-to-back. You will perform each tri-set twice, resting only one minute in between efforts.

By now your 20 minutes in the gym are done, and it's time to go home. You no longer feel sleepy tired. Your blood is pumping, you are sweat-drenched and ready to consume your post-workout meal.

Barbell Rows. After each set of barbell rows, immediately move over to a bench and perform 15-20 reps of dumbbell pullovers. Rest exactly 60 seconds before moving on to your next barbell row and pullover superset.

Before beginning your first working set of barbell rows, perform a couple of warm-up sets. For your working sets, when you are able to perform 10 reps for each of the three sets, add five pounds to the bar.

We will finish off this workout with a tri-set, or three exercises performed back-to-back-to-back. You will perform each tri-set twice, resting only one minute in between efforts.

Seated Overhead Dumbbell Press. After each set of presses, immediately drop to the floor and perform as many reps of push-backss as possible. Rest exactly 60 seconds before moving on to your next press and push-back superset.

Before beginning your first working set of overhead presses, perform a couple of warm-up sets. For your working sets, when you are able to perform 10 reps for each of the three sets, add five pounds to the bar.

The push-back is a push-up variation. Check out the video below for an example of how to perform thise exercise.

A post shared by Steve Shaw (@bendthebarman) on Aug 15, 2017 at 5:20am PDT

Power Shrugs and Barbell Calf Raises. Use straps if you have them. The point here is to work your calves and traps, not your grip strength.

We will finish off this workout with a tri-set, or three exercises performed back-to-back-to-back. You will perform each tri-set twice, resting only one minute in between efforts.

Squats. After each set of squats, immediately perform 20 total reps of bodyweight lunges, which is 10 for each leg. Rest exactly 60 seconds before moving on to your next press and push-back superset.

Before beginning your first working set of squats, perform a couple of warm-up sets. For your working sets, when you are able to perform 10 reps for each of the three sets, add five pounds to the bar.

We will finish off this workout with a tri-set, or three exercises performed back-to-back-to-back. You will perform each tri-set twice, resting only one minute in between efforts.