Challenge: The Spartacus Workout

“What if?”…………..could be the either most powerful, or the lamest statement I have ever heard. However, if someone throws a “what if?” at me in proper context, I feel like the gauntlet has been thrown out and I must rise to the occasion. If you are wondering what I am blabbing about let me give you the back story. My wife and I were on weekly shopping trip to the grocery store and I was slowly meandering the aisle’s, reading nutrition labels and making snide comments about how everything is bad for you when we took an odd turn. We happen to find ourselves in the magazine section.  So, wanting to continue my pessimistic attitude I picked up the latest copy of Men’s Health to scoff at the ridiculous statements they often make. I did scoff quite loudly and often, page by page.

I came to an article written about the lead character in the TV show Spartacus. The story went on to talk about how when he auditioned for the show he was given the lead, under the condition he put on about 40lbs of muscle. The story goes on to describe his diet and meetings with his personal trainer and how hard it is to keep his physique that he displays weekly in his show. The next few pages that followed are what drew this historic comment, “what if”………

Following the editorial was a work out plan that promised a “Spartan” body in just 6 weeks. It was in big bold letters, just like any other one of their plans that make absurd statements.  “GAIN 35lbs of muscle in 2 weeks with this one exercise”, or “take 10 years off your body with this new fruit”, or even better yet GUARANTEED  SIX PACK ABS SO AMAZING EVERY GIRL WILL THROW THEM SELVES AT YOU EVERY WHERE YOU GO.

I muttered to Sara how ridiculous that sounded. So, my wife being the amazing gorgeous, talented and graceful button-pusher she is said, “Well have you ever tried one of these work outs?” HAHAH I chuckled well of course I……..I……I have not, DAMN how does she do this? So then came those fateful words; the challenge of doom,  “Well what if you did?” AHHHHH a shot at my masculinity, a chance to prove myself right and her WRONG. How could I refuse?  I pounced on it before I could even process that here and now, in the aisle between lavender body soap and cleaning products as Better Homes and Gardens as my witness,  I submitted myself to blistering early mornings of pure discomforts and pain.

“Fine,” I said. Challenge on.

So here is what I have agreed to. The work out is a circuit course that you perform 3 days a week.  You do each exercise for 40 seconds and get 20 seconds to transition to the next exercise for one set, then you get a 2 minute break and repeat the work out 2 more times. All work outs are to be performed with set of dumb bells, as heavy as you can tolerate and still complete the work out; I have chosen 25lbs as my set of dumb bells. The exercises to be performed are dumbbell squat to alternation shoulder press and twist, mountain climber and push up, dumbbell side lunge and curl, plank walkup with dumbbell drag, dumbbell stepover, dumbbell single-arm alternating clean, pushup-position row and squat thrust, goblet squat and alternating reverse lunge, dumbbell Russian twist and last dumbbell straight-leg deadlift and row.

I have agreed to do this for six weeks; I will post a weekly update to include photos and any critiques. I will also be keeping a daily food log. I have given myself an introduction by performing all of the exercises prior to starting the program.

Wish me luck! If any of you would like to take the Spartacus challenge with me, let me know!

-Kevin