PERFECT PAIR

How to combine aesthetic improvements with performance gains

- Christian Thibaudeau 

First, let’s make one thing clear. It is definitely possible to build a muscular, lean body while making strength, speed and power gains. In fact, I would say that training like an athlete and turning yourself into a performance machine is actually the best way to get an aesthetically pleasing body – you simply need to pick the right exercises and tweak the loading parameters, in order to optimise your body composition.

Lift off

If you want to build muscle, forget bodybuilding-style isolation exercises, such as dumbbell curls, and instead focus on compound lifts, such as bench presses, squats and deadlifts. Sprinters and rugby players perform these moves in sets of one to three reps, using as much weight as possible. This is optimum for building maximum strength, but if you want get stronger and add functional muscle, you need to lower the weight slightly and aim for four to six reps per set.

I recommend focusing on one compound exercise per workout. Aim to complete five sets of four to six reps of that lift, paired in a superset with an exercise that works antagonistic, opposing muscle groups – so push presses with chin-ups, or bench presses with barbell rows. Rest for 20 to 30 seconds between the first and second exercise, then for two minutes after the second exercise to complete one superset.