Workout of the Day: Dolph Essentials

In case you didn't know, lifting weights is good for you.  Slamming some iron raises your metabolism and strengthens bones while improving stability and mental focus among dozens of other reasons.  Many people don't lift weights because they're afraid they'll turn into Arnold Schwarzenegger overnight.  I have news for you, you won't.  Whenever people ask me for workout tips I always ask them what their current regimen consists of.  Their responses are usually filled with curl machines, ab crunches and extended sessions of steady state cardio.  None of these are conducive to losing weight or gaining muscle to create a physique.  What you need are old school, compound moves that bring in multiple body parts to get the heart and testosterone pumping.

For Dolph Lundgren, his five favorite basic moves for overall strength, mass and symmetry are:

1)  Squat - for quads, hamstrings and lower back
2)  Deadlift - for forearms, biceps, lower back and quads
3)  Military Press - for triceps and deltoids
4)  Bent Over Barbell Row - for biceps, rear deltoids and lats
5)  Bench Press - for pecs, front deltoids and triceps

With this kind of no frills routine, just about every major muscle group is worked.  It will also give your body a balanced look as we've all seen guys with the huge arms but no chest, back or legs.  Arnold calls "Chicken Legs" an epidemic and you see a lot of it here in Los Angeles.  I recently saw a guy whose arms were literally wider than his upper body and his legs...and he was proud of it judging by the tight shirt and pants he had on to show the world what a walking pair of arms looks like.

Whether you like your workouts in nature, dubbed or in the gym, keep pumping: