German Body Comp 2nd-Edition
German Body Comp 2nd-Edition
German Body Comp 2nd-Edition
B O D Y COMP
PROGRAM
2nd Edition
Copyright © 2018, Poliquin Performance Center 2, LLC. All rights reserved First
Edition, 2006
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Notice: Before beginning any exercise program, consult with your physician to ensure
that you are in proper health. This book is not meant to provide medicine advice; you
should obtain medical advice from your private health care practitioner. No liability is
assumed by the Poliquin Group for any of the information contained herein.
Warning: All rights reserved, 2018 Poliquin Group. No part of the work embodied in
these materials and covered by the copyrights hereon may be reproduced
Chapter 1
The Best Way to Lose Fat.................................................... 3
Chapter 2
The Heart of the Matter...................................................... 9
Chapter 3
The German Body Comp Program......................................... 17
Chapter 4
Program Design Essentials................................................. 21
Chapter 5
The Workouts..................................................................... 27
Chapter 6
The Exercises . . ................................................................... 43
Chapter 7
German Body Comp for Athletes . . ........................................ 75
Appendix A
Q&A about German Body Comp............................................ 79
Appendix B
Circuit Training vs. Conventional Training . . ......................... 87
1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23
<---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- >
100 percent 50 percent
Neural Metabolic
Adaptations <----------------------------------------- > Adaptations
(Neuromuscular) (Cellular)
Table 1: Relationship between maximum number of repetitions, intensity and the
training effect (Poliquin, 1990©)
Maximum Percent of Training Effect of
Number Maximum* Repetitions
1 100.0 Relative strength increases
2 94.3 through enhanced neural drive
3 90.6
4 88.1
5 85.6
Workout 2 – 3x Week................................ 32
Workout 3 – 3x Week................................ 34
Workout 4 – 4x Week................................ 36
Workout 5 – 4x Week................................ 38
Workout 6 – 5x Week................................ 40
Back Extension
The back extension (also called—inappropriately—the hyperexten-
sion) is an excellent exercise for the lower back, glutes and hamstrings.
This exercise places far less compressive forces on the spine seated
lower back versions.
Ready Position: Lie facedown on a back extension bench and lock your
ankles in place (or hook them under the roller pad if a footrest is not
available). Adjust your hips on the pad so that when you bend forward
your back is perpendicular to the floor, but not rounded.
Action: Keeping your head in alignment with your spine (which entails
retracting your chin and not looking up), lift your torso until your back
is parallel to the floor. Lifting your torso higher than parallel is unneces-
sary and may place harmful stress on your back. Reverse the technique
to return to the start.
Breathing: Hold your breath, raise your torso, then exhale halfway
down or at the finish.
Tips: After a few workouts, when the exercise becomes easier, hold a
weight plate across your chest to increase the resistance. When this
becomes easy (Olympic lifters have been known to perform this exer-
cise with nearly 300 pounds!) place a barbell across your upper back,
holding the bar as you would when performing a squat. Do not, howev-
er, place weight plates on your head, as this could result in injury.
Back Squat
Squats are unparalleled as an exercise for working the maximum
amount of muscle tissue in the lower body. And despite rumors to the
contrary, studies have shown that when performed properly, squats
actually strengthen the knee joint.
Ready Position: Begin with a bar resting across your shoulders. With
your feet placed flat on the floor, shoulder-width apart, find a point
high on the wall near the ceiling and focus your eyes on it. Rotate your
elbows forward so they are perpendicular to the floor.
Action: Keeping your head up and your torso as erect as possible
(and only bending forward when absolutely necessary to drop farther
down), bend your knees, allowing your knees to travel outward over
your toes. Try to lower yourself so your thighs go well past parallel to
the floor, but do not bottom out or bounce in the low position. Using
your lower back and legs, and resisting the temptation to lean forward
excessively, push out of the bottom position to return to the start.
Bench Press
The bench press is unquestionably the most popular upper-body
weight training exercise because it involves all the upper-body pushing
muscles. It has been blamed for causing shoulder injures, but these
can often be traced to using a grip that is too wide, lowering the bar
too fast, or not varying the performance, such as by frequently chang-
ing the grip.
Ready Position: Lie face up on a bench press unit, straddling the bench
and spreading your legs shoulder-width apart, feet flat on the floor.
Deadlift
The deadlift is a hardcore exercise that works all the major lower-body
muscles. Next to the squat, it is probably the toughest exercise body-
builders and strength athletes perform.
L-Lateral Raise
This is a variation of the lateral raise that puts minimal stress on the
elbows because the arms are bent throughout the entire exercise.
Ready Position: Grasp two dumbbells and hold them at your sides,
palms facing each other. Spread your legs about hip-width apart and
bend your elbows until your arms form 45-degree angles. Look straight
ahead and retract your chin slightly.
Action: Keeping your elbows locked in 45-degree angles, lift your
elbows out to the sides until your arms are just above parallel to the
floor. Reverse the technique to return them to the start (keeping
45-degree angles).
Low-Cable Pull-In
Most abdominal exercises performed by bodybuilders work the mus-
cles that flex the hip. When overdeveloped through exercises such as
the sit-up, the hip flexors will rotate the pelvis forward. This causes
the back to arch, which may cause back pain. Among the muscles that
keep the pelvis in check are the external obliques, which due to their
attachment on the pelvis cause the pelvis to rotate backward. The
low-cable pull-in, when properly performed, works this function of the
external obliques.
This is a good exercise for the lower abdominals because it enables
you to incrementally increase the resistance. It requires the use of a
low-pulley machine and ankle attachments.
Ready Position: Lie on your back and place your hands at your sides.
Put your feet and knees together and rest your head on the floor. Hook
the ankle strap to your feet. Throughout the exercise it’s important to
keep your head in contact with the floor to avoid neck strain.
Action: Flatten your back to the floor and pull your knees to your
chest. Exhale and reverse the technique to return to the start.
Breathing: Hold your breath, bend your knees, straighten your knees,
and exhale when your legs are straight.
Tips: If this position is uncomfortable, try placing your hands under-
neath your glutes.
Side Sit-Up
This is an advanced oblique exercise. I especially like it because it
stretches not only the obliques but also the muscles of the hip that
tend to get tight from heavy leg work.
Ready Position: Lie sideways on a back extension bench and hook
your ankles under the lever arms. Adjust your hips on the pad so your
hips extend over the edge of the pad. Place your arms on the sides of
your head and keep your torso and shoulders in line with your legs.
Action: Lower your torso sideways as far as comfortable, keeping your
torso and shoulders in line with your legs, then raise up as high as pos-
sible without twisting.
Breathing: Hold your breath, lower your torso, and exhale when you’ve
reached the top position.
Tips: Increase the resistance by holding a weight plate across your
chest.
Split Squat
Also known as the stationary lunge, the split squat offers more stabili-
ty than a standard lunge because the feet do not move. This difference
makes it possible to use considerably more resistance.