SHREDDED

IN
28 DAYS
By Dustin Myers

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 SHREDDED
in 28 days
By Dustin MyeRS
ALL ACTION PHOTOS BY Cory Piehowicz
Additional photos by Jake Ryan

© Copyright 2017 by Dustin Myers & Old School Gym LLC

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed,

or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other
electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher,
except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and
certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

Old School Gym

11091 National Rd
Pataskala, OH 43062
www.oldschoolgym.com

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Who Is Coach Myers?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

overview. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

28 day training plan. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Week 1. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Week 2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Week 3. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Week 4. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Nutrition PLAN. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Mindset . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Exercise Index. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Lower Body. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Upper Body. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Core. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
GPP. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

FOLLOW ME . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

Max Effort Muscle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Old School Gym . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

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 WHO IS COACH MYERS?
Coach Myers is a 2002 graduate of The Ohio State
University. A self described workout addict, he became
certified and started training clients part time in 2000 at T3
Personal Training Studio, eventually opening the original Old
School Gym with Cory Gregory in 2003. The Old School Gym
moved to it’s current location in 2008 and has been featured
in Sports Illustrated, Muscular Development Magazine,
Bodybuilding.com, and is consistently ranked in the Top 10
most hardcore gyms in the United States.

In addition to successful stints as a competitive power-

lifter, bodybuilder and amateur boxer, Dustin wrestled in high
school and was always drawn to training athletes in the worlds
oldest and toughest sport.

In 2012, Coach Myers accepted the position of Strength

& Conditioning Coach for the Ohio Regional Training Center
at Ohio State. Through the RTC, Coach Myers helped the Ohio
State Wrestling team win its first NCAA Championship in
school history.

In addition to the Buckeyes, some of the athletes he has

worked with thru the RTC include 2x NCAA Champ Tommy
Rowlands, 3x World Team member Reece Humphrey, Olympic
Champion Kyle Snyder, and top MMA prospect Lance Palmer.
He has also worked extensively with UFC welterweight
contender Matt Brown and former Ohio State football stars
“Training and lifting weights is in my blood. Growing up in Chris “Beanie” Wells, Antonio Pittman, Maurice Clarett, and
rural eastern Ohio, I watched every day as my Dad came Dan “Boom” Herron. In addition to The Old School Gym,
home from his shift at the local steel mill and headed Coach Myers is also a founding partner of the supplement
out to our detached unheated garage to pump iron and company Max Effort. He has appeared on the cover of Natural
hit the heavy bag. In the summertime he would teach
Muscle Magazine (June 2016) and is also a regular contributor
football players from the local high school how to lift
weights in our gym. Needless to say, I couldn’t wait until to the Muscle & Strength website.
I was old enough to get started. I remember him showing
me the ropes at age 12 and I was instantly hooked. Today
my gym and training style is patterned after that same
Here’s what others have to say:
blue collar work ethic that I learned in Dad’s garage.
The real keys to progress are consistency, intensity and “Whether I was cutting weight for 61kg or bulking up for 65kg,
toughness, and my coaching style reflects that. I feel Coach Myers had my strength at an all time high! I’ve never felt
fortunate to be in a position to help people reach their stronger and more conditioned on the mat.”
goals by bringing out the best in them.” -Reece Humphrey, 3 x US Open Champ, 3 x USA
Wrestling World Team

“I have been lifting with Coach Myers since we were 15 years old,
so well over 20 years now. His intensity has been at a high level
since day one, and he knows how to take himself and his training
partners to the next level. Just like myself he is a practicer of
what he preaches. I hate getting beat by this guy, and that
competitiveness is what helped mold me into me.”
-Cory Gregory, 10 x magazine cover model, co-founder
“It’s been a dream of mine since I first started lifting of Musclepharm and Max Effort Muscle, Fitness
weights to be on the cover of a muscle magazine. This Entrepreneur
past June (2016) that dream became a reality as I was
featured on the cover of Natural Muscle Magazine. It “Coach Myers is hands down one of the best functional strength
was fitting that this was my first cover feature since I
coaches I have worked with. He has a wealth of knowledge and
take great pride in being a life long natural (no steroids)
athlete. Besides the obvious health risks I have always experience in working with the best athletes in the world!”
viewed steroids as a shortcut - if you truly love the - Brandon Wynn, Team USA Gymnast, World Bronze
grind and hard work then you don’t need them.” Medalist

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“Consistency is the key to everything. Those
that give 100% every day are the ones that
reach their goals.”

very year the holiday season brings with it the perfect [Mistake #2: Too much (of the wrong type of) cardio]
E storm of unwanted body fat. It begins with the carb
coma inducing thanksgiving feasts in November, transitions
Would you rather be built like an elite sprinter or
marathon runner? As a gym owner I see it in their eyes every
into the hurried weeks of eating unhealthy meals on the go January - gym members with a blank stare filled with misery
during christmas shopping and culminates with cookies, egg and regret as they plod along aimlessly on the treadmill or
nog, and candy canes in late December. Factor in that the bike at a low intensity day after day. Sure they are burning
cold weather season has you doing less outside activities - a few calories and sweating, but they might as well kiss their
everything from running to typical yard work - and you have hard earned muscle gains good bye.
the seasonal equivalent of an unhealthy lifestyle change.
While building a strong aerobic base is important - and
Now here you are. It’s a new year and you are in search low threshold conditioning does have it’s place in this plan -
of a “new you”. Maybe it is not so much a “new you” that it’s crucial to do sprint work to maximize both your strength
you need, but a return to the “old you”. Whatever the case, gains and your potential for weight loss. The total time spent
you’ve been in this position before, maybe last year and the doing cardio may be much less than what you are accustomed
year before that. I’m guessing that you come out of the gate to but the effect it will have on your metabolism will be long
strong on January 1st, determined to shed the unwanted lasting.
pounds and get back in shape, long before warm weather or
even Spring break approaches. If you have failed in the past, it
was probably due to one of these issues: [Mistake #3: Abandoning heavy strength training in favor
of high reps]
Ahhh yes. People have been making this mistake
[Mistake #1: Starvation Diet] since the dawn of weight training. While doing high rep
Many people come out of the holiday season not just sets certainly has value from a conditioning stand point, you
toting around some extra pounds but also some shame over MUST continue to lift heavy if you want to maintain your size
their glutinous winter habits. Often times that pushes people as you lean down. The base of this strength program is heavy
to the extreme, such as utilizing a low calorie/low fat diet to compound movements, however I am going to show you how
counter act their cookie binges. I’m going to show you how to incorporate higher reps while still using heavy weight on
you can eat healthy and often while shedding unwanted body supersets, drop sets, and Time Under Tension.
fat and even gaining muscle.

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I am going to teach you how to get lean while still lifting heavy and increasing
strength, and feel great and full of energy while doing so.

• Alternate heavy lifting days with conditioning days. • Coco-fasted cardio on strength days.
The base of this plan is alternating heavy strength training We are also going to condition on the strength days, but in
days with conditioning only days. We are going to utilize a different manner than you are probably used to. For the
many different forms and modalities of conditioning - from past few years I have been advocating what I call “Coco-
basic bike intervals, to incline sprints on the treadmill, to fasted cardio” to kick start your metabolism for the day.
boxing which I feel is the best conditioning workout for The theory behind this early morning semi-fasted strategy
weight loss. will be explained in depth in the nutrition section.

• Bodyweight Training on Saturdays.* • Aerobic Conditioning/Active Recovery on Sunday.

I have always been a big advocate of bodyweight training, Sunday is known as a day of rest, but we are on a deadline
both for strength and conditioning purposes. Because of here. We have 28 days to get lean on the strength of a
the core strength, balance and coordination required for roaring metabolism so we can’t afford to take a day off.
most bodyweight movements it is the one form of exercise Besides, I expect you to be so focused (and encouraged
that I utilize strictly high rep and high volume style by your progress) that you wouldn’t want to take a day off
workouts. Not only will these weekend workouts increase anyway. With that being said, you can’t expect to train at
your endurance and muscular definition, it serves as great 100% intensity day in and day out and still make progress.
recovery from the heavy workouts done during the week. Sunday’s workout will be a long easy 60 minute aerobic
*(note: I am writing days of the week assuming you start the workout. The goal is to sweat, work out some of the soreness
plan on a monday. You can start the plan on any day of the from the week, burn calories, and keep that metabolic fire
week, so a saturday on the first week translates to day 6) roaring.

Are you ready? Let the 28 day

countdown begin!
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week 1 1. Coco fasted Cardio - 15 minutes Walking Lunges
Week One starts off with 20 minutes of coco-fasted
Cardio. Strength Training for day one is a heavy “pulling” 2. Strength Training
workout - Deadlifts followed by back, biceps, and accessory A. DB Bench Press 10,10,5,5,5
posterior chain exercises. During the 5 minute Plank, hold B. Close Grip Bench Press 12,10,8,6,4
front position as long as possible then switch to side planks for C. Superset: 3 rounds
the remainder of the 5 minutes. DB Pull Overs - 8
Dips - Max Reps
Tuesday is a boxing day. During heavy bag work, D. Superset: 3 rounds
keep your feet and head moving the entire time. Focus on Overhead Tricep Extension - 5
punching with speed and power rather than pushing into the Kickbacks - 10
bag. Wednesday’s coco fasted cardio is 15 minutes of Walking Cable Press Downs - 20
Lunges. The strength workout for that day is “pushing” E. Barbell Rollouts- 50 reps total
movements - heavy chest presses and supersets of tricep
exercises.

Thursday’s conditioning workout involves Incline or 1. Conditioning - Treadmill Intervals

Hill Sprints. Make sure to warm up adequately and stretch 1. Jog 5 minutes (warm up)
before starting the sprint work. Chances are your glutes will be 2. Incline 10% - 20 sec on/40 sec rest x 10 (beginner
sore form the lunges the previous day, so you may need to roll 5-7mph, advanced 8-10mph)
them out on a foam roller. Friday’s Coco-fasted Cardio is an 3. Incline 5% - 40 sec on/20 sec rest x 10 (beginner
easy 20 minutes of the bike or elliptical. You want to get a good 5-7mph, advanced 8-10mph)
sweat but don’t wear out your legs - the strength workout is a 4. Incline 15% walk 3-4mph - 20 minutes
heavy leg and shoulder session.

Saturday is a “body weight beat down”. On each 1. Coco fasted Cardio

exercise do max reps until you reach 100 total, then move on 20 minute bike or elliptical, medium pace
to the next exercise. Sunday is a low aerobic workout for 60 2. Strength Training
minutes. An hour on the bike, elliptical or air dyne is fine, but A. Squat - 10,6,3,3,3,3
I would avoid running or the stair master on the first week. B. Superset: 4 sets
This day is about sweating and recovery. Split Squat 5/5
DB Shoulder Press 8
This week sets the blueprint for the entire month. The C. Circuit: 5 rounds
next 3 weeks will be similar in structure but with changes to DB Shoulder Flys - 10
rep schemes, style of reps, and conditioning intervals. GHR - 10
Shrugs - 10
Hamstring Bridge - 5/5
Jump Rope - 1 minute

1. Coco-fasted Cardio - 20 minutes bike intervals before meal #1

45 seconds easy/15 seconds Sprint x 20 1. Body weight training
2. Strength Training A. Pull Ups - 100 total
A. Deadlift 5 x 3 B. Dips - 100 total
B. Weighted Pull Ups 5 x 5 C. Slant Rows or Ring Rows - 100 total
C. Superset: 5 rounds D. Push Ups - 100 total
T-Bar Row 5 E. Ab Wheel - 100 total
Lat Pull Down 8
GHR or BW Hamstring Curl - 8
D. Superset: 5 rounds
Barbell Curl 5 1. Low Impact Cardio
DB Alternating Curl 8/8
E. Plank - 5 minutes A. 60 minutes bike, medium pace

1. Conditioning - Boxing (30 seconds rest between all rounds)

A. Shadow Box - 2 x 3 minute rounds
B. Heavy Bag - 6 x 3 minute rounds
C. Burpees - 3 x 1 minute rounds, light bag work between
minute rounds

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week 2 1. Coco fasted Cardio - 15 minutes Walking Lunges
The main difference you will notice on week 2 is the 2. Strength Training
emphasis on eccentric contractions by incorporating negatives A. DB Bench Press 10,10,5,5,3***
on the strength workouts. Strength exercises that are marked B. Close Grip Bench Press 10,8,6,4,2***
with *** will add a 6 second negative on the last rep of each set C. Superset: 3 rounds
(the exception is weighted pull-ups which will incorporate a 10 DB Pull Overs - 8
second negative without the added weight). A negative is the Dips - Max Reps***
slowing down of the eccentric (think of when the target muscle D. Superset: 3 rounds
is lengthening) portion of the movement. This is typically when Overhead Tricep Extension - 5
lowering, or “on the way down”. Kickbacks - 10
Cable Press Downs - 20
Conditioning wise, each day is slightly different than E. Ab Wheel - 50 reps total
last week so make note of time or tempo changes. Tuesday’s
boxing workout also adds 100 medicine ball slams at the end.
Thursday’s run is a 2 mile turn up - spend the first mile turning
up the speed .5-1mph after each 1/4 mile. As the second mile 1. Conditioning - Treadmill Intervals
begins, begin the pattern over at your starting speed. A 3 round A. The 2 Mile Turn Up
core circuit is added to thursday as well. Saturday’s bodyweight speed changes every 1/4 mile (speed starts over
workout involves the same exercises and the same number of for the second mile)
reps, but instead of fully completing one movement for 100 reps example speeds: 7/8/9/10/7/8/9/10
before beginning thenext, you will do the exercises circuit style B. Core Circuit: 3 rounds
for 10 rounds of 10 reps each. Sunday is any 6 different cardio Barbell Rollout or Ab Wheel - 12 reps
stations for 10 minutes each. Stability Alternates - 10 reps each side
note: All exercises denoted with *** add a 6 second negative to the Hip dips - 10 reps each side on bench
last rep of each set Barbell Crunches - 20 reps
Jump Rope - 2 minutes

1. Coco fasted Cardio - 20 minute bike or Airdyne, medium pace

2. Strength Training
A. Squat - 10,5,3,2,2,2
B. Superset: 4 sets
Split Squat 4/4***
1. Coco-fasted Cardio -
DB Shoulder Press 6***
18 minutes bike intervals before meal #1
C. Circuit: 5 rounds
1 minute easy/1 minute medium/1 minute hard x 6
DB Shoulder Flys - 10***
rounds
GHR - 10
2. Strength Training
Shrugs - 10
A. Deadlift 5, 3, 3, 2, 2
Hamstring Bridge - 5/5
B. Weighted Pull Ups 5 x 6***
Jump Rope - 1 minute
*after the 5th rep of each set of weighted pull ups,
take the weight off and perform an additional pull up with a 10
second negative on the way down
C. Superset: 5 rounds 1. Body weight training (this week perform the workout as a
T-Bar Row 5*** circuit of 10 reps of each exercise superseded for 10 rounds,
Lat Pull Down 8*** rather than completing max reps on one exercise at a time)
GHR 8 A. Pull Ups - 100 total
D. Superset: 3 rounds B. Dips - 100 total
Barbell Curl 5*** C. Slant Rows or Ring Rows - 100 total
DB Alternating Curl 8/8*** D. Push Ups - 100 total
E. Plank - 5 minutes E. Ab Wheel - 100 total

1. Conditioning - Boxing (30 seconds rest between all rounds) 1. Low Impact Cardio
A. Shadow Box - 2 x 3 minute rounds A. 6 different cardio stations for 10 minutes each.
B. Heavy Bag - 6 x 3 minute rounds Example: jog, bike, stair master, incline walk,
C. Speed Rounds- 3 x 1 minute rounds Rower, Airdyne
D. Med Ball Slams - 100 total

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 2. Strength Training
week 3 A. DB Bench Press 10,10,5,5,3,3***(pauses on sets of 3 only)
Week 3 incorporates an isometric focus by adding pause B. Close Grip Bench Press 5,5,3,2,1,1*** (pauses on all sets)
reps on the strength training days. Pause reps are a great way C. Superset: 3 rounds
to work on stability and overall strength and are utilized at the Weighted Dips - 5
point where a movement switches from eccentric to concentric. Narrow Push ups - 10
You will utilize a 3 second pause on all reps of the sets and BW Skull crushers - 10
exercises marked with *** unless otherwise noted. D. Cable Press Downs - 100 total
E. Ring Lay Outs - 50 reps total
Conditioning wise we are adding some sled work to
tuesdays boxing workout. Use as heavy a weight as possible for
the 150ft pushes. Wednesday’s cardio incorporates one of my
favorite sprint intervals - fast, brutal and efficient. Thursday’s
1. Conditioning - Treadmill Intervals
conditioning is a killer hill sprint workout, and the boxing for
1. Jog 5 minutes (warm up)
this week has been moved to Saturdays session as a warm up for
2.”Hill Sprint” Intervals
the bodyweight time under tension workout. For all exercises
# Incline Speed On/Off
on Saturday you will utilize a 3/3/3 tempo - 3 seconds on the way
4x 15% 7mph 30/30
down, a 3 second pause, then 3 seconds on the way up. Count
4x 12% 8mph 30/30
the tempo out loud to avoid rushing as the reps start to burn!
4x 9% 9mph 30/30
Sunday is two 25 minute sets of constant work on an air dyne or
4x 6% 10mph 30/30
bike. You will rest 3 minutes between sets, so the pace should be
3. Incline Walk 10% 3mph for 10 minutes (rest 2 minutes after
slightly tougher than when doing a full hour of constant work.
sprints before starting)

1. Coco fasted Cardio - 20 minute bike or elliptical

2. Strength Training
A. Squat - 5,3,3,2,1,1,1***
B. Superset: 4 sets
1. Coco-fasted Cardio Split Squat 3/3***
20 minutes bike medium pace before meal #1 DB Shoulder Iso-Press 5/5
2. Strength Training C. Circuit: 5 rounds
A. Deadlift 5, 3, 2, 1, 1, 1 DB Shoulder Iso-Flys - 6/6
B. Weighted Pull Ups 5 x 6* GHR - 5 (weighted)
C. Superset: 5 rounds Shrugs - 8***
T-Bar Row 5*** Hamstring Bridge - 5/5
Lat Pull Down 5*** Jump Rope - 1 minute
GHR 8
D. Superset: 3 rounds
Barbell Curl 3***
DB Alternating Curl 5/5 1. Conditioning - Boxing (30 seconds rest between all rounds)
E. Plank - 6 minutes A. Shadow Box - 2 x 3 minute rounds
***after the 5th rep of each set of weighted pull ups, take the weight off and perform an B. Heavy Bag - 6 x 3 minute rounds
additional pull up with a 5 second pause at the top 2. Body weight training (exercises A-D will incorporate a Time
Under Tension tempo of 3/3/3)
A. Pull Ups - 3x5
B. Dips 3x8
1. Conditioning - Boxing (30 seconds rest between all rounds) C. Slant Rows or Ring Rows 3x10
A. Shadow Box - 2 x 3 minute rounds D. Push Ups - 3x10
B. Heavy Bag - 6 x 3 minute rounds E. Med Ball Rollouts- 50 total
C. Sled Prowler Push 5 x 150ft (rest 2 minutes between rounds)

1. Low Impact Cardio

1. Coco fasted Cardio A. 2 x 25 minutes bike or Airdyne (3 minute rest between)

Airdyne or bike
2 minutes - 10 seconds easy/20 second sprint - repeat for 4
sets -rest 1 minute
2 minutes - 10 seconds easy/10 second sprint - repeat for 6
sets -rest 1 minute
2 minutes - Sustained Effort

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week 4 1. Conditioning -
You’re almost there!!! Week 4 is all about VOLUME. We
1. Jog 3 minutes (warm up) then stretch
are going to lift hard and heavy, and incorporate 5/10/20 drop-
2. 1 mile MAX EFFORT, then rest 3 minutes
sets and supersets. On a 5/10/20 droplet, use a heavy weight for
3. 12 minutes at 12% incline, slow jog 4.5-5mph, lower
5, then immediately hit 10 reps with a medium weight before
incline by 1% each minute, once you reach height of 5%
ending with 20 reps with a light weight, all on the same exercise.
raise speed by .5-1mph each minute as well
Conditioning wise, this week is really going to put you to
the test. Tuesday’s boxing workout is a superset that alternates
between heavy bag and jump rope for 8 rounds each, then ends 1. Coco fasted Cardio - 20 minute Jump Rope
with heavy sled drags. Wednesday’s coco-fasted cardio brings 2. Strength Training
back the walking lunges and Thursday is a grueling max effort A. Squat - 10,5,3,2,1,1,1
mile followed by an Incline ladder run. Saturday’s bodyweight B. DB Step Ups - 5x5, 1x5/10/20 (5 is heavy, 10 is light,
beat down is an intense 1000 reps - 10 exercises for 100 reps 20 is bodyweight only)
each. Sunday is an hour of jogging an incline walk intervals. C. GHR - 3x8
D. Superset: 5 rounds
DB Shoulder Press - 5
DB Shoulder Flys - 10
DB Front Raise - 15
DB Shrugs - 20
1. Coco-fasted Cardio - 20 minutes bike intervals before meal #1
2. Strength Training
A. Deadlift 5,3,3,2,1,1,1
1. Body weight training
B. T-Bar Row 5 x 5, 1 x 5/10/20 dropset
A. Pull Ups - 100 total
C. Superset: 5 rounds
B. Dips - 100 total
DB Row - 5/5
C. Slant Rows or Ring Rows - 100 total
Lat Pull Down - 10
D. Push Ups - 100 total
Seated Row - 20
E. Ab Wheel - 100 total
D. Superset: 3 rounds
F. Lunges - 100 total
Barbell Curl 3
G. Narrow Med Ball Push Ups - 100 total
DB Alternating Curl 5/5
H. Body Squats - 100 total
GHR - 5
I. Band Crunches - 100 total
E. Plank - 6 minutes
J. Reverse hyper - 100 total

1. Conditioning - Boxing (30 seconds rest between all rounds)

1. Low Impact Cardio
A. Circuit: 8 rounds
A. Circuit: 6 rounds
3 minutes Heavy Bag
5 minute jog
3 minutes Jump Rope
5 minute incline walk 15%
B. Heavy Sled Drags - 6 x 150ft

1. Coco fasted Cardio - 15 minutes Walking Lunges

2. Strength Training
A. Close Grip Bench Press 10,5,3,2,1,1,1
B. DB Bench Press 10,10,5,5, end with 5/10/20 dropset
C. Weighted Dips - 10,5,5,3,, end with 1 set max reps
bodyweight
D. Superset: 3 rounds
DB Pull Overs - 8
Dips - Max Reps
Narrow Push Ups - 10
E. Superset: 3 rounds
Farmer Walk - 100ft
Overhead Tricep Extension - 10
Farmers Walk - 100ft
Plate Raises - 20
F. Ab Wheel - 50 reps total

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 Nutrition tipS
o matter how intense the workout plan is, you didn’t feel right. Training on an empty stomach felt good, but
N would be lying to yourself if you believe that a killer
workout plan alone can yield major changes in one month. All
I honestly didn’t have the juice to sprint or do bike intervals at
my normal intensity. Overall, I liked the concept, especially
of that heavy lifting and strenuous conditioning will be in vain the part where your cardio is done and over with early in the
if you don’t commit NOW to adhering to a nutrition plan. If day, so I wasn’t ready to give up on it quite yet. How could I
you already have an eating schedule you have used in the past reap the benefits of doing the fasted cardio, and subsequently
that yielded good results, then by all means, use it. I will be burn more calories for the duration of the day, but still train at
the first one to tell you that most diets will “work” if you follow the high level I had grown accustomed to?
them consistently. Over the past 18 years training clients I
have tried many different diet plans, and many of them have My solution was to put a twist on the typical Fasted
worked, but I am going to teach you what I have found to be Cardio and take in some healthy fats before hitting the gym
the best strategy for losing body fat while still having energy to to condition. I always drink black coffee first thing in the
train and enjoy life. morning, so I started adding a tablespoon of coconut oil
(usually splitting it between 2 cups of coffee) and immediately
During my early to mid 20’s I competed in numerous felt the difference. I no longer went thru that early cardio
natural bodybuilding shows. Routinely stepping on stage at session like I was running on fumes. My body seemed to
a legit 5% BF, I was often the best conditioned competitor, efficiently use the fats in coconut oil for energy. The metabolic
but I always felt terrible. The traditional low calorie, lower fat benefits of coconut oil is more than just a convenient energy
bodybuilding diets left me feeling lethargic and my immune source - Coconut Oil is primarily comprised of medium chain
system weakened. I began to realize that not only was that triglycerides (MCTs) which have been shown to help the body
lifestyle unrealistic, but also if I was basing many of my clients burn calories and promote the actual break down of stored
nutrition plans from the same template, how could I expect body fat.
them to follow it long term?
I believe that by taking in nothing but the coconut
As I transitioned out of bodybuilding and into oil and coffee before morning cardio, you are “priming the
competitive boxing, I knew that I needed to develop pump” so to speak. Caffeine and MCTs both speed up your
nutritional habits that could keep my body fat low yet still have metabolism, and as your body breaks down the healthy fats for
energy to train and do sprint work, while staying healthy and energy it easily utilizes your own stored body fat. Although
injury free. Switching to a higher fat diet has worked wonders there is probably plenty of benefit to traditional fasted
for myself and my clients. One of the first major changes is cardio, my metabolism feels faster this way and my workout
reshaping the way we think of the most important meal of the performance is better.
day - breakfast.
After your session of “coco-fasted cardio” is when
In recent years I have read many articles and studies you will typically eat your first real meal. From that point on
(some positive, some negative) about what is known as “fasted you will eat small meals thru out the day at rough intervals
cardio”. Fasted Cardio is exactly what it sounds like - doing of every 3 hours. Some recent research has showed that meal
cardio on an empty stomach, first thing when you wake up. frequency has no real impact on the metabolism and the real
There have been numerous studies that have shown that doing key is total number of calories consumed daily. However, I
20 minutes of cardio in a fasted state can burn up to 20% more have found that eating smaller meals more often keeps my
fat than if you completed the cardio after a meal. I decided energy levels higher and is a better strategy to avoid overeating
to give fasted cardio try…and I have to admit, something just at dinner or during the evening.

-14gr MCT (coconut oil) within 30 minutes of waking

-First meal is protein and a low glycemic fruit
-Healthy fat source with every meal
-meals every 3-4 hours
-10gr BCAA and 5gr Glutamine post workout for recovery
-only consume complex carbs during 1 meal per day, ideally
in the afternoon
-dinner has a high fat protein source (beef, salmon, eggs,
etc.) and a green vegetable

Page 11
 nutrition tipS
Meal Outline
-Coffee W/ 1 Tablespoon Coconut Oil Upon Waking
#1 Lean Protein, 1 Serving Fruit
#2 Lean Protein, Complex Carb, Fat Source
#3 Protein, Vegetable, Fat
#4 Protein, Fat
#5 Protein, Fat, Vegetable

Protein options
6-8oz Grilled Or Baked Chicken, Beef, Fish, Turkey
3-4 Whole Eggs
Low Carb Protein Shake
Beef Jerky
Chicken Or Turkey Sausage
Tuna

Fat options:
Avocado
Olive Oil
Coconut Oil
Nuts
Goat Cheese

Vegetable options:
Salad Greens Daily Schedule (estimated times)
Brussel Sprouts
Broccoli [5:00am]
Spinach Coffee W/ 1 Tablespoon Coconut Oil
Green Beans (Contains 14gr Fat)
Asparagus
Kale [6:00am]
Onions, Mushrooms, Peppers 20 Minutes Cardio

[6:30am] Meal #1
Fruit options: 6-8oz Chicken Or Turkey, 1/2 Grapefruit
Grapefruit
Oranges [8:00am]
Apples Weight Training
Tomatoes
Berries [10:00am]
Post Workout 10gr BCAA, 5gr Glutamine
Carb Options:
Quinoa [10:30am] Meal #2
Brown Rice Chicken, 1/2 Cup Quinoa Or Brown Rice, 1/4 Avocado
Steel Cut Oats
Sweet Potatoes [2:00pm] Meal #3
Beef Jerky, 2oz Almonds
Condiments:
Olive Oil & Vinegar Based Salad Dressing [4:00pm] Meal #4
Sriracha Or Other Hot Sauce Protein Shake
Dijon Mustard
Yuki (Recipe) [7:00pm] Meal #5
Steak Or Salmon, Brussel Sprouts

Page 12
 Nutrition tipS
TRICKS OF THE TRADE
Coco-fasted cardio: Cardio programming:
On of the things you will notice is that the coconut oil My favorite form of conditioning is HIIT - basically
will sit on top of the coffee and you will have to constantly stir some type of sprint work. However, I have found that doing
it. The solution is to put your coco caffeine concoction in the sprint work every day was hindering my performance in the
blender for a quick pulse. This emulsifies the oil and gives the weight room. I will typically alternate between high intensity
coffee a nice creamy, frothy texture. I use about 12oz coffee interval days and medium intensity constant pace days.
to 1 tablespoon of coconut oil and then divide that into 2
servings.
If you don’t like the idea of running sprints with 2 cups Some other conditioning options:
of hot liquid sloshing around in your gut, try shots of espresso If you do not have access to whichever conditioning
instead. Less liquid, same benefits. modality is specified in the daily plan (bike, air dyne, stair
master, treadmill, etc.), make use of whatever equipment is
available to you. A jump rope can be used for most sprint
Non-coffee drinkers: interval workouts, and a set of steps can be ran for either
For those of you who are not coffee drinkers at all, sprint work or long steady state cardio.
you can buy an actual MCT supplement or if you are super
hard core, just eat a spoonful of coconut oil by itself. If you
are taking a fat burner that contains caffeine, you may want to
limit any additional caffeine intake.

Yuki:
Yuki is may favorite all purpose homemade condiment. 20 minutes Stair-master
Simply sauté garlic, onions and peppers (or any vegetable for 2 minutes easy pace
that matter) in olive oil until cooked thoroughly. Season with 1 minute ladder (turn up speed every 10 seconds)
salt, black pepper (crushed red pepper if you like spicy food), 1 minute MAX EFFORT
basil and parsley. I always have a Tupperware full of Yuki in x 5 rounds
my refrigerator - adding it to leftover chicken or a can of tuna
makes a boring protein based meal flavorful and full of healthy Air dyne or UBE (Upper Body Ergometer)
fats and antioxidants. My favorite use is as a topping for 10 minutes - 20 seconds easy/10 seconds all out sprint
scrambled eggs. 10 minutes - medium pace

Muscle Meals: Functional Circuit:

Just because you are dieting doesn’t mean that the diet Circuit: 1 minute each, x 3 rounds
has to be unbearable. I host a weekly cooking show called Muscle
Battle Ropes
Meals, here are links to some of the episodes. Let me teach you how
Med Ball Slams
to cook healthy delicious meals [click links below]:
Sledgehammer
Bike Sprint
[Stir Fry]
Jump Rope
[Scrambled Mess]
Treadmill Incline Sprints
[Oven Roasted Brussel Sprouts] 10 seconds on/10 seconds off as many times as possible
(10mph 15% incline)
[Bun-less BLT Burgers]
Jump Rope:
[Chicken Kabobs] 90 seconds easy pace/30 second all-out, repeat x 10 for 20
minutes total
[Mushroom & Spinach Frittata]

Page 13
 SHREDDED MINDSET

o now you are on cruise control. Killer workout plan. on the big picture. However sometimes there is an obstacle that
S Realistic nutrition plan. You feel great, look great, and
are soon to look even better. But keep in mind there are still a
you cannot overcome. Maybe it’s christmas dinner at Grandma
Jane’s or its ice cream with your daughter on her birthday, but
few pitfalls that can trip you up and derail your progress. Here some things are unavoidable. This is the crucial time to employ
is what you are sure to encounter and how to deal with it: the strategy of “minimal damage”. You know a pitfall is coming
so you:
[Pitfall #1 Peer pressure from unsupportive friends] 1. Workout early that day.
Make no mistake about it, some people who you encounter 2. Eat perfect leading up to the event. Don’t let an evening
that are impressed with your progress are also secretly envious party be an excuse to stray all day.
and spiteful. Need proof? How many times have you heard 3. Immediately return to your plan the following morning.
something along the lines of “oh come on, you look incredible, 4. Do a 2-a-day in the gym the following day, with one
one night off of your diet isn’t going to hurt anything”? While of the sessions being a long steady state cardio session to
they may be somewhat correct, progress is directly tied to sweat it out.
discipline and you must stay disciplined in the face of peer Follow those steps and minimize the damage as you get
pressure. Their goals are not the same as your goals, so don’t fall back on track. A bump in the road can be a minor nuisance that
into the trap of thinking what is good for them is acceptable for is soon in your rear view mirror, or it can give you a flat tire. You
you. I always ask myself - ok, what is more enjoyable, the taste decide.
of this pizza, or the feeling of having shredded abs? That always
puts it in perspective. Nothing tastes better than having abs. [Pitfall #3: Thinking you are already there]
So you’ve made some progress, the scale is dropping, and
[Pitfall #2: Special Events] your cuts are popping. You can afford to be a little lax, right?
Holidays. The game. Your anniversary. Your friends Slow down son. Remember how you got to your present state
going away party. Dollar beer night at the local spot. Trust me, and keep that momentum going. It’s easier to keep momentum
there will always be a “legitimate” reason to stray from your going than to try to restart after veering off course. Don’t be
plan. This is when you really need to be strong and stay focused satisfied until you have reached your goal.

Page 14
EXERCISE INDEX

A breakdown of all of the movements

you will see in the 28 dAY plan,
step-by-step with images.
Page 15
Lower body
Sumo deadlift

Get tight to the bar with a wide stance and squat down and grab the bar (arms inside of legs) with an over/under grip. Keep your
back flat and abs engaged as you pull the weight off the ground, pushing your hips to the bar as you stand up. Lower the weight
under control to the starting position, or on max effort single reps, drop the weight after locking out at the top.

Conventional dead lift

Stand tight to the bar with a shoulder width stance. Squat down and grab the bar with an over/under grip. Put tension on the bar to
engage your hamstrings and pull the bar off the ground as you hinge at the waist. Push your hips to the bar and lock out at the top.
Keep your lower back flat thru out the movement.

Squat

Unpack the bar and stand with your feet at shoulder width. Initiate the movement by sitting back and squatting down to parallel.
Exhale as you stand back up to starting position.May need to hold the bar with arms crossed. Beginners may need to use dbs, a
kettle bell, or a medicine ball as an alternative.

Page 16
Glute ham raise (ghr)

Adjust the foot hold on the glute ham raise so that your knees are slightly behind (not on top of) the pad. Kneel at the starting
position and bend forward by lengthening the hamstrings. Allow your lower back to bend at the bottom then return back up
by contracting the hamstrings and curling your body back up. Maintain a straight line from your knees thru your hips to your
shoulders.

Hamstring bridge

Lay on your back in front of a bench. Bend one leg at roughly 90 degrees and place the heal on the bench and the other leg
straight up in the air. Press thru your heal as you raise your hips, pausing at the top as a straight line forms from your knee thru
your hip to your shoulder.

Split squat

Hold a pair of dumbbells at your side as you stand facing away from a bench. Place one leg behind you with your foot on the
bench (laces down). Keep your chest up as you perform a single leg squat. Keep your knee behind the front of your foot.

Page 17
Db step ups

Keep your chest up (avoid leaning forward) as you step up onto a bench or plyo box. Keep the same leg up as you carefully step
down to complete a full rep on one side.

Bw hamstring curl

Have a partner hold your ankles as you crouch down on your knees. Keep your body straight and hips forward as you slowly “fall”
forward. Use your hamstrings to control your descent and catch your self with your hands. Push off the ground just enough to let
your hamstrings curl you back into the starting position.

Upper body
T-bar row

Place one end of an olympic bar in a corner or against a rack. Load plates on the other end and grip the bar towards the collar as
you straddle it. Stand up with the bar then squat and push your hips back, keeping your lower back arched. Holding position, pull
the bar up until the plates touch your stomach. Squeeze your shoulder blades together at the top. Do not jerk the weight up as
you row.

Page 18
Weighted pull ups

Hang plates or a dumbbell from a weighted belt. Other options are a weighted vest or squeezing a medicine ball between your
knees. Grab a medium grip on the bar and pull until your chin is over the bar. Lower under control and do not go to a dead hang
(unpacked) position.

Db bench

As you press the weight, keep your lats engaged so your elbows don’t flare out. Keep your hips in contact with the bench and your
feet flat on the ground, do not dance around. Touch the dumbbells together at the top and lower under control.

Page 19
Shrugs

Grab either a set of dumbbells or a loaded barbell (use an over/under grip on the barbell) and shrug your shoulders straight up,
squeezing at the top. Allow the weight to stretch your traps as you lower it but do not bend forward or roll your shoulders.

Standing db shoulder press

Stand with your feet at shoulder width and a set of dumbbells over top of your shoulders. Press the weights up and gradually in,
touching them together lightly at the top. Lower under control back to your ears. Athletes with shoulder issues should hold the
weights in a neutral (palms facing ears) grip. To perform an iso press keep one db extended over head while you press the other
one, alternating sides with each rep.

Db row

Bend over and grab a db with your other hand on a bench or rack for support. Keep your feet square rather than staggered and
your spine straight, and head in a neutral position. Pull the weight up and back towards your hip as you retract the scapula and
squeeze the muscles in the middle of your back. Do not twist, try to keep your shoulders level. Lower under control and allow the
lat to stretch at the bottom.

Page 20
Weighted dips

When doing weighted dips be sure to keep your elbows tight to your side and lean forward slightly. Do not go below parallel and
make sure to lock out at the top.

Bw skulls

Place your hands on a rack, bench, or plyo box, with your thumbs rotated up slightly so your elbows point towards the floor as
they bend. Touch your forehead to your hands then extend your arms, locking out at the top. Keep your abs engaged and body
straight the entire time.

Page 21
Lat pull downs

Sit high with your chest up. Lean back slightly and pull the bar or handles towards your collar bone. Do not crunch forward.

Slant rows

Set a bar in a rack at waist height (or higher depending on ability. The lower it is, the more difficult). Lay underneath the bar and
grab with ether a wide overhand or shoulder width underhand grip. Keep your body straight and rigid as you row your chest
towards the bar. Make sure the bar touches your breastbone in the same place as when you bench press.

Db curls

Start with a pair of dumbbells at your side in a neutral position. Twist one dumbbell and curl it up towards your shoulder.
Squeeze hard at the top and keep the supinated position as you lower the weight under control. Twist back to a neutral position
right before the dumbbell reaches your leg.

Page 22
Db skulls

Lay on the floor or a bench with a set of dumbbells extended over your chest. Keeping your hands in a neutral position (palms
facing in), let your arms drift back slightly and bend your elbows until the weights are on either side of your head. Immediately
extend your arms and bring them back to the starting position.

Barbell curls

Grab a barbell with an underhand grip. Contract the bicep by curling the weight up. Keep your bicep contracted at the top, do
not let the weight rest on your shoulders. Lower the weight under control.

Db shoulder flys

Stand with a set of light dumbbells at your side in a neutral position. Raise them laterally until they are even with your shoulders.
Lower under control and with out swinging.

Page 23
Close grip bench

Grab the bar with your hands just slightly closer than shoulder width. Keep your lats engaged by squeezing the bar as hard as
possible with your pinky fingers. Lower the bar in a slight curve down to your breast bone then back up to the starting position.

Overhead tricep extension

Grab a heavy dumbbell and form a web or diamond with your hands as you hold it by one end and hoist it overhead. Keep your
elbows close to your head as you bend them and lower the weight towards your scapula. Get a good stretch then extend your arms
back to starting position.

Page 24
Plate raises

Grab a heavy plate and hold at waist level. Slowly raise until you can see thru the plate whole. Lower the plate without allowing
your chest to be pulled forward.

Db front raise

Hold a set of dumbbells in front of you. Raise one dumbbell up to eye level then lower it under control. Alternate sides.

Page 25
Db pullovers

Lay across a bench with your hips lower then the bench. Hold a dumbbell above your chest with a diamond grip. Lower it slowly
behind you until you feel a good stretch thru the ribcage. Exhale as you pull the dumbbell back to starting position.

Kickbacks

Squat down and assume a “skier” position with your elbows close to your side. Extend your arms, locking the triceps out at the
top. Bend your arms to return to start position without swinging or letting your arms drop from your sides.

Page 26
Cable press downs

Pull a cable attachment down to chest level. Extend your arms to flex your triceps at the bottom. Keep your upper arms pinned to
your sides the entire time.

Core
Plank technique & positions

The most important thing to remember about a plank position is to keep your abs flexed and do not allow your hips to sag. If your
abdominals relax and hips lower, you are putting your lower back at risk. Front plank is similar to a push up position but you will
rest on your forearms rather than your hands. Keep your abs tight and your back straight. A side plank is on one elbow with your
feet stacked on top of each other. Keep your spine straight and your top arm extended towards the ceiling.

Page 27
Stability alternates

Begin from either your knees or a swiss ball, slowly raising one leg and the opposite arm, holding each rep for 2 seconds at the top.
Advanced athletes start in a push up position.

Band crunches

Attach a band to a chin up bar and kneel underneath. Grab the band and hold it at ear level. Crunch forward, aiming to hit your
elbows mid-thigh.

Page 28
Barbell crunches

Lay in a sit up position with an empty barbell on your chest. Extend the bar in the air and crunch up contracting your upper abs.
Make sure to keep the bar moving in a straight line towards the ceiling (not in front of you) the entire time.

Reverse hyper

If you do not have an actual reverse hyper machine, lay across a bench or a swiss ball with your hips and legs hanging down
towards the ground. Hold on tight but do not pull yourself forward with your arms. Bring your legs up, extending them as you
tighten your gluten and spinal erectors. Hold at the top then lower slowly and stretch.

Trx layouts

Grab a set of trx straps or rings and hold at waist level. Walk back until your body is at a 45 degree angle (the more upright you
are the easier this will be, the closer to parallel to the ground, the more difficult it will be) with your arms extended out in front of
you. Crunch forward slightly to engage your abs then slowly raise your arms up over head as your body drifts forward. Keep your
abs and lats engaged the entire time, pull your hands back toward your waist to return to starting position.

Page 29
Med ball rollouts

Start in a kneeling position with your hands on a medicine ball. Flex your abs then slowly roll the ball out in front of you. This is
a similar position as the classic “ab wheel” but once you are extended you will have to “fight” the ball back towards you. Envision
snapping an opponent down as you roll back to starting position.

Barbell rollout

These are similar movement to the ab wheel, but you will instead use a barbell loaded with either 95lbs or 135lbs (the bigger the
plates, the greater range of motion and level of difficulty). Grab the bar with a shoulder width grip, keep your core tight and roll
out until your chest hits the ground. These really work what my friend tom ryan (ohio state university head wrestling coach) calls
the “snap down muscles” - the lats, serratus and upper abdomen - in addition to the hip flexors and lower abs and back.

Page 30
GPP
Sled Push - sprint

Get low in a prowler position and drive as hard as you can into the sled. Sprint for the prescribed distance.

Farmers walk Sled drag

Walk backwards dragging a heavy sled. Keep your arms

straight as you pull the straps.

Grab a heavy set of dumbbells and stand up straight with

your chest up and shoulders back. Walk 50-100ft then return.
The minimum dumbbell weight combined should be your
bodyweight (150lb athlete should use 75lb dbs), with the goal
being to eventually use greater than your bodyweight.

Page 31
Med ball slam

Squat down and grab a medicine ball. Stay in good position as you pick it up, clean it and press it over head. Sit down hard as you
slam the ball off the ground, catching it on the rebound.

Page 32
Burpees

Drop down into a full push up, then pop up to your feet and perform a squat jump as you reach into the air. Land and repeat.

Page 33
Effort. Consistency. Intensity

FOLLOW me on Social Media!

I’m always posting new training ideas and physical challenges.
You will find tons of great exercises and daily motivation:
https://www.instagram.com/coachmyers_gutcheck/
https://twitter.com/OldSchoolGymOH
https://www.facebook.com/The-Old-School-Gym-263994577063/

Page 34
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 old school gym

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Take that mindset with you into the
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Page 36