Maximum Curves and Functional Fitness 2
Description
The 10-week Maximum Curves and Functional Fitness 2 weight training program is designed to:
- Train all of your major muscle groups
- Build muscle/curves in the 9–11 and 6–8 rep ranges
- Strengthen your core and primal movement patterns
- Introduce you to rep-range alternation (undulating periodization)
- Introduce you to the intensity technique of training to failure
The program consists of two upper–lower splits, which means that there are four workouts per week, two for your upper body (A and C) and two for your lower body (B and D).
In weeks 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9, you will train in the 9–11 rep range; in weeks 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10, you will train in the 6–8 rep range.
To understand why you will be alternating rep ranges, please read the Overview of women’s weight training programs.
Note: This program is also available in my ebook.
Suitability
- Individuals who have completed Maximum Curves and Functional Fitness 1
- Anyone who has at least 6 months of consistent weight training experience
Instructions
- Complete the workouts (A, B, C, and D) in the order provided
- The recommend schedule is ABXCDXX (where ‘X’ is a rest day). Avoid training four days on, three days off (i.e. ABCDXXX)
- Rest for 30 to 90 seconds between sets
- Rest for 1 to 2 minutes between exercises
- Always use a weight that is heavy enough to make the reps challenging
- Whenever you have to increase the weight, add a maximum of 5 lb (or 2.5 kg) to upper-body exercises or 10 lb (or 5 kg) to lower-body exercises
- Try to master the proper form of each exercise, including proper breathing technique. Also, try to develop a mental connection with your muscles and with the movement patterns
- If you get bored of an exercise, see the Overview of women’s weight training programs for alternatives
- If training at home in the absence of cable machines and other specialized equipment, see below the exercise tables for exercise alternatives
- In weeks 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9, take the last set of every exercise to failure — that is, keep doing reps until you can’t do another rep in good form. This is an intensity technique known as training to failure. Note that for some exercises, such as the barbell squat, you will not be able to safely train to failure unless you have a training partner ready, in which case you should not train to failure
- Don’t forget to warm up before, and stretch after, each workout
- Once you have completed Maximum Curves and Functional Fitness 2, you must take a deload week. Only then can you move on to the next program or repeat the same program
| Workout A (Upper body) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Exercise | Sets x Reps | |
| *Weeks 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 | Weeks 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 | |
| Medium-grip lat pull-down | 3 x 9–11 | 3 x 6–8 |
| Standing cable chest press | 3 x 9–11 | 3 x 6–8 |
| Seated dumbbell overhead press | 2 x 9–11 | 2 x 6–8 |
| Cable face pull | 3 x 9–11 | 3 x 6–8 |
| Triceps rope push-down | 2 x 9–11 | 2 x 6–8 |
| EZ bar curl | 3 x 9–11 | 3 x 6–8 |
| Front plank | 2 x 60–90 s | 2 x 90–120 s |
| *If possible, take the last set of every exercise to failure. s = seconds | ||
| Workout B (Lower body) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Exercise | Sets x Reps | |
| *Weeks 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 | Weeks 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 | |
| Barbell sumo squat | 3 x 9–11 | 3 x 6–8 |
| Barbell one-leg hip thrust | 2 x 9–11 | 2 x 6–8 |
| Seated or lying leg curl | 2 x 9–11 | 2 x 6–8 |
| Smith machine kneeling rear kick | 2 x 9–11 | 2 x 6–8 |
| Lying side hip raise | 2 x 20–25 | 2 x 25–30 |
| Bicycle crunch | 3 x 20–25 | 3 x 25–30 |
| Standing dumbbell one-leg calf raise | 3 x 15–20 | 3 x 10–15 |
| *If possible, take the last set of every exercise to failure | ||
| Workout C (Upper body) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Exercise | Sets x Reps | |
| *Weeks 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 | Weeks 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 | |
| Seated twisting cable row | 3 x 9–11 | 3 x 6–8 |
| Push-up (on stability ball if available) | 3 x 9–11 | 3 x 12–14 |
| Reverse dumbbell fly | 2 x 9–11 | 2 x 6–8 |
| Dumbbell lying external shoulder rotation | 2 x 15–20 | 2 x 10–15 |
| Triceps dip with dumbbell between feet | 2 x 9–11 | 2 x 6–8 |
| Dumbbell curl | 3 x 9–11 | 3 x 6–8 |
| Wheel rollout | 3 x 10–15 | 3 x 15–20 |
| *If possible, take the last set of every exercise to failure | ||
| Workout D (Lower body) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Exercise | Sets x Reps | |
| *Weeks 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 | Weeks 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 | |
| Barbell Romanian deadlift | 3 x 9–11 | 3 x 6–8 |
| Barbell Bulgarian split squat | 2 x 9–11 | 2 x 6–8 |
| Seated or lying leg curl | 2 x 9–11 | 2 x 6–8 |
| Cable hip abduction | 2 x 15–20 | 2 x 10–15 |
| Cable wood chop | 2 x 9–11 | 2 x 6–8 |
| Weighted captain’s chair leg and hip raise | 3 x 9–11 | 3 x 6–8 |
| Machine standing calf raise | 3 x 15–20 | 3 x 10–15 |
| *If possible, take the last set of every exercise to failure | ||
Alternatives for the cable/machine exercises
- Medium-grip lat pull-down — Band lat pull-down (YT) using medium grip or self-assisted pull-up (YT) using medium grip
- Standing cable chest press — Standing band chest press (YT) or dumbbell bench press
- Cable face pull — Band face pull (YT) or dumbbell face pull (YT)
- Triceps rope push-down — Dumbbell kickback or triceps band push-down (YT)
- Seated or lying leg curl — Inverse leg curl, one-leg stability ball leg curl (YT), or band leg curl (YT)
- Smith machine kneeling rear kick — Band kneeling rear kick (YT) or single-leg barbell glute bridge (YT)
- Seated twisting cable row — Seated twisting band row (YT) or dumbbell twisting row (YT)
- Triceps dip — Weighted bench dip (YT)
- Wheel rollout — Ab walkout (YT) or inch worm (YT)
- Cable hip abduction — Band hip abduction (YT) or side plank hip abduction
- Cable wood chop — Band wood chop (YT) or weighted Russian twist
- Weighted captain’s chair leg and hip raise — Hanging leg and hip raise with dumbbell between feet or lying band leg and hip raise (YT)
- Machine standing calf raise — Barbell seated calf raise (YT) or band standing calf raise (YT)
