Spartacus Workout
This cutting-edge circuit routine will strip away fat and define every muscle in your body. By Adam Campbell and Rachel Cosgrove, C.S.C.S.
To create the Spartacus workout, we chose 10 exercises that collectively work every part of your body, and then placed each at a 60-second station, in order to challenge your heart and lungs as well as your muscles. The final product: A high-intensity circuit that’s designed to burn away fat, define your chest, abs, and arms, and send your fitness levels soaring. So you’ll sculpt a lean, athletic-looking body—while getting in the best shape of your life.
Directions
Do The Spartacus Workout 3 days a week. You can either use the routine as your primary weight workout, or if you’re already in great shape, you can use it as a “cardio” workout on the days between your regular weight workouts. For more weight workouts that you can pair with The Spartacus Workout, check out The Men’s Health Big Book of Exercises.
Perform the Spartacus Workout as a circuit, doing one set of each exercise—or “station” in succession. Each station in the circuit lasts for 60 seconds. Do as many reps as you can in that duration (with perfect form), then move on to the next station in the circuit. Give yourself 15 seconds to transition between stations, and rest for 2 minutes after you’ve done one circuit of all 10 exercises. Then repeat 2 times. If you can’t go for the entire minute on an exercise, go as long as you can, rest for a few seconds, then go again until your time at that station is up. This will allow you to customize the workout to your current fitness level. Also, if using weights makes some exercises too difficult, simply perform the same movement without holding the dumbbells.