The Good Morning Burger

This workout is a fantastic metabolic conditioning and fat loss workout, hitting every major muscle group in your body by strategically using the "big 3" exercises...deadlift, bench press and squat.

I call it the Good Morning Burger workout because first, you're sandwiching three things together, and second, it will wake your butt up, big time. Plus, it's a Simpsons reference from one of my favorite episodes.

 

 

You'll need to set up three exercises. I recommend a trap bar deadlift, a dumbbell bench press and a regular barbell back squat.

You can use any variation of these exercises, equipment permitting (e.g. straight bar deadlift, barbell bench press and dumbbell squat would be fine).

• You're going to do a 20 rep set of each of these three exercises, taking 30 seconds rest in between sets.
• Then you'll take 1 minute rest.
• Then you'll do another round of the same three exercises, using the same weights, getting as many reps as you can (it won't be 20, due to fatigue)
• Then you'll take 2 minutes rest.
• Then you'll do it again...then take 3 minutes rest...then 4 minutes rest...then 5 minutes rest...then one final round and done.
• This will be 6 total rounds.

The idea behind this is called "front loading"...where you do more work up front in the workout while you're fresher. Then, as you fatigue, you stretch out the rest periods so that you can keep performing more quality work (versus "ugly" work that doesn't accomplish anything except grinding you down).

If you just kept to 1 minute rest, you'd fade out fast. By increasing rest periods, we actually keep the workload at a useful level.

 

Part 1 - Trap Bar Deadlift - 20 reps

I prefer the trap bar for high rep deadlifting because it allows for a more "up and down" pattern of movement, putting less torque on the lower back.

For these, use a "touch and go" style for as many reps as you can get. This is where you start at the top, come down, just lightly touch the bar to the ground then come right back. You don't reset and unload at the bottom. This will get you more reps as you can utilize elastic energy to help get the weight back up.

I'm using 315 lbs on the bar, which is about 60% of my 1 RM. This will be the heaviest exercise of the three and the most demanding, which is why we're doing it first (not just simple cruelty).

When you've done 20 reps, rest 30 seconds. Take this time to get over to your next exercise.

 

Step 2 - Dumbbell Bench Press

I'm using a pair of 60's for this, which is approximately 50% of my current 1 RM.

Use a controlled movement for this rather than trying to bang out reps.

When you hit 20 reps, rest 30 seconds then get ready for squats.

 

Step 3 - Barbell Back Squats

I'm using 135 lbs on the bar for this, which probably about 35% of my current 1 RM.

While this weight would normally be very light for you, when you're doing this many reps at the tail-end of the other two exercises, it will be very demanding, especially from a cardiovascular standpoint. You won't build strength from it, clearly, but your lungs will be feeling it.

When you've done 20 reps, you're done with Round 1.

Take 1 minute rest, then go again.

Then you'll take 2, 3, 4 and 5 minutes after each successive round, following the same pattern.

You will be done with the whole workout in about 35-40 minutes, depending on how many reps you get and how fast you get them.

This is a phenomenal workout for hitting just about everything in your body. It will challenge your muscles and your cardiovascular capacity very strongly....just like a Good Morning Burger should...