Descending Ladder Workout | Body Recomposition Workout Plan Day 8

Putting A Follower Through An Afterburn 1.0 Workout | Live Lean Shred Ep. 08

On today’s episode of Live Lean TV, I’m putting a follower through descending ladder workout #5 from the Afterburn 1.0 body recomposition workout plan.

Welcome back to day 8 of our 6 week Body Recomposition Workout Plan Series called, Live Lean Shred.

I’m so glad that you joined us again.

We appreciate all the eyeballs, views, and shares.

Despite having a rough night because baby Kyla was uncomfortable with teething, today is going to be a great day.

If you are a parent, you know what we’re talking about.

Usually Kyla wakes up once or twice at night, however she woke up three times last night screaming.

Even though she’s a bit grumpy due to the pain, she’s a real trooper.

With that said, later on I’m going to be taking you into the gym for another descending ladder training workout.

For this new workout, I will be training a follower.

This will give you a better sense of the cadence of the workout, including the time, breaks, and how everything works and flows from set to set.

Hopefully you will enjoy this new way of showcasing the workout, so stay tuned.

But first, I’m on my way to the office as we’re building out a brand new website design for Live Lean TV.

Yes, LiveLeanTV.com is getting a whole new facelift.

It is insane how much work this has been.

Fortunately we’re getting close to the end of the process, however there is still so much work left to go.

It’s going to be awesome.

Thank you once again for joining us, and let’s get this day started.

Table Of Contents – Jump To:

Easy Tip To Increase Your Protein Intake: Shred It Up

I was just about to leave for the office, however Jessica just came home with some groceries.

So I guess I’ll stay home for lunch.

You don’t have to twist my arm.

Jessica put together a fabulous salad with shredded chicken breast.

As you saw in the last post, we food prepped a bunch of baked chicken breast for a salad.

I then put the leftover chicken breast in the food processor to shred it up.

One of the things I’ve experienced over the years is eating big chunks of chicken breast or slicing it the same way day after day, can get boring.

If you feel like you’re bored of eating chicken all the time, one way you can continue to add it to your diet, while still enjoying the taste, is to shred it in a food processor.

Here is a amazon affiliate link to the food processor we use.

We use this food processor to shred up food, which changes the texture so it doesn’t feel like we’re eating the same things over and over again.

When food is shredded up finely, it’s so easy to add it to your meals.

For example, in our salad, we added shredded chicken, and you don’t even notice it’s in there.

That is another healthy meal prep tip for you.

Let’s eat first, then I’ll hit the office.

Body Recomposition Descending Ladder Workout #5

It’s time to head down to our condo gym to go through today’s descending ladder training workout #2.

This is the fifth workout from the Live Lean Afterburn 1.0 Body Recomposition Workout Plan.

Here’s the link to download the pdf for the full workout, with video links to all the exercise demonstrations:

For this workout, I have a new recruit.

Today I’ll be putting Ryan McMillan through the workout.

He wanted to come in and see if he can make it through the test.

During this workout, I’m going to act as Ryan’s personal trainer.

Hopefully this real time video style will be a better indicator to show you how to do the reps and the correct rest periods for the workout.

Let’s see if this dude, athlete, man’s man, can make it through a Live Lean Afterburn workout.

I know he can, so let’s see what he can do.

Let’s go find out.

Warm Up

Before starting Descending Ladder Workout #5, make sure you get the following warm up in:

• WU1. Seal Jacks x 30 seconds
• WU2. Air Squats x 30 seconds
• WU3. Push Up x 30 seconds
• WU4. Alternating Pendulum Lunge x 30 seconds

Repeat this circuit twice without breaks for a total of 4 minutes.

Here’s the link to download the pdf to the full warm up, with video links to all the exercise demonstrations:

Single Exercise Descending Ladder A

We’re going to start this workout by hitting the legs with a single exercise descending ladder 5-4-3-2-1 rep scheme.

By following a descending ladder rep scheme, it extends the typical 40 second set and turns it into a very long set of 1.5 to 2 minutes.

In fact, it took Ryan just over 3 minutes to complete one set.

During this time, your muscles are going to be under tension that entire time, which is going lead to more muscle growth and muscle breakdown, while keeping your heart rate up.

It’s the perfect combo for body recomposition.

Another thing I love about descending ladders is it keeps you motivated because the further you get into it, the less reps you have to do.

A1. Dumbbell Bulgarian Split Squat

The first exercise is the dumbbell bulgarian split squat.

• Reps: Starting on your left leg, while following a 5-4-3-2-1 descending ladder:
  • 5 reps on your left leg, then 5 reps on your right leg
  • 4 reps on your left leg, then 4 reps on your right leg
  • 3 reps on your left leg, then 3 reps on your right leg
  • 2 reps on your left leg, then 2 reps on your right leg
  • 1 reps on your left leg, then 1 reps on your right leg

• Rest:
  • The 5-4-3-2-1 descending ladder is one continuous set, so no rest when transitioning between rep changes
  • 45 second rest between sets
• Sets: 3

If you’re new to single legged unilateral training, the bulgarian split will be a difficult exercise for you.

If you have muscle imbalances, I like to use iso lateral exercises like the bugarian split squat to help balance that out.

For example, when you do a typical barbell back squat, you’re using two legs to lower down and two legs to press back up.

If one leg is stronger than the other leg, that stronger leg could overcompensate for the weaker leg, thus leading to muscle imbalances.

Since the bulgarian split squat is performed on one leg, each leg gets trained independently, thus there is no overcompensating.

Coaching cues:

• To start, grab a pair of dumbbells that you feel comfortable with.
• Position a flat bench behind you, while holding on to the dumbbells.
• Bend your right leg and place it on top of the bench, with the left leg pressed into the floor.
• Make sure the planted leg is positioned far enough away from the bench so your knee does not tract over your toes when lowering into the bulgarian split squat.
• If you get into the first rep, but you feel like you are not positioned properly, stop and re-assess your position by moving your front foot further away from the bench, then get right back into it.
• Keep looking straight ahead, with your chest upright, rather than hunching forward.
• Focus on maintaining a neutral flat back with your core tight to maintain your balance.
• Since you’re on one leg, this will also help you work on balance.
• Lower your body straight down, then press through your heel and the entire platform of your flat foot to stand back up on one leg.
• You should feel a good contraction in your quadriceps and hamstrings.
• Once you complete 5 reps, switch legs and complete another 5 reps.
• After completing 5 reps on each leg, switch legs again, and move down the descending ladder to complete 4 reps per leg, then repeat all the way down to 1 rep per leg.
• As you get down to the last rep, you will notice your breath is getting heavier.
• Once you complete the 5-4-3-2-1 descending ladder, put the weights down and take a 45 second break.
• This is when you allow your heart rate to come back down again before starting the next set.
• Since you will be completing this descending ladder 2 more times, you could increase the weight for the next set, or keep it the same.
• If you felt like you lifted too heavy and you didn’t have proper balance, or you were feeling it more in the joints rather than your muscles, I would recommend lowering the weight.
• We’re all about safe training.
• Once the 45 second rest period is up, move on to the second set.

Beginner Substitution: Bodyweight Bulgarian Split Squat

Ryan’s Feedback On How He Felt During The Set

Jess: Tell us a little bit about the experience, did you go heavy enough, or are you going to switch it up next time?

Ryan: I definitely did lift heavy enough. I think I might go just a little less next set because of the issue with balancing on one leg.

Brad: There you go. That’s a good indicator to lower the weight, so you can perform the movement correctly.

Did you say you did bulgarian split squats before?

Ryan: I have.

Brad: Yeah, so it’s a tough move to do if you don’t have good balance.

Jess: For people who are new to the bulgarian split squat, this move is going to be really challenging so you could also start with no weights for the first set.

Brad: Good point. This is an example of why you need to work within your own fitness level.

Obviously Ryan is an athlete who has competed at a higher level before.

Jess: He’s not a newbie.

Brad: Therefore he has the mechanics down. If you’re new, remember to always train smart.

Once you crush 3 sets of the 5-4-3-2-1 descending ladder, rest for 45 seconds then move on to descending ladder superset B.

Descending Ladder Superset B

Ryan’s now feeling good and warmed up, so we’re moving on to an even more juicy descending ladder superset B.

This descending ladder will follow a rep scheme starting at 6 reps: 6-5-4-3-2-1.

This means, compared to the last descending ladder, we added an extra set to the ladder, for a total of 20 reps per set.

If you’re in a gym with barbells, complete a barbell push press.

Note: since my condo gym does not have an olympic barbell free weight, we’re going to use dumbbells.

Therefore, if you don’t have access barbells, you can also use dumbbells.

We’re all about making modifications when you don’t have access to something.

B1. Barbell Push Press

The first exercise in descending ladder superset B is the barbell push press.

• Reps: 6-5-4-3-2-1 descending ladder
• Rest:
  • The 6-4-3-2-1 descending ladder is one continuous set so no rest when transitioning between rep changes
  • 45 second rest between sets
• Sets: 2

Coaching cues:

• Pick the weight up, then curl it or clean it up to position it in a front rack hold.
• If you’re using dumbbells, hold the dumbbells with a neutral grip, with your palms facing each other.
• With your core turned on, drop into a 1/4 squat position, then power out of the squat back to standing, while pressing the weight over your head.
• Immediately drop back down into another 1/4 squat and repeat.
• Focus on keeping your chest upright.
• Remember, during the squat, don’t go to low.
• It’s just a quick 1/4 squat, then with power, drive your feet through the floor to extend your knees as you push the weight over your head.
• This movement is one of the best total body exercises, since it hits the legs, glutes, quadriceps, shoulders, and the core, since you need to maintain an upright torso.
• It’s will also give you a good cardio workout as well.
• That’s why we have programed the push press into this program quite a bit.
• Once you complete 6 reps, immediately get down on the ground and complete 6 reps of the mountain climber while gripping the weight.

Dumbbell Substitution: Dumbbell Push Press

B2. Mountain Climber (Gripping A Barbell)

The second exercise in the descending ladder superset B is the mountain climber while gripping a barbell.

Since we don’t have access to barbells in my condo gym, complete the mountain climber while gripping dumbbells.

Gripping a barbell or dumbbells while performing a mountain climber provides a little bit of instability, thus requiring more core activation to stop the barbell or dumbbell from rolling.

• Reps: 6-5-4-3-2-1 reps/leg descending ladder
• Rest:
  • The 6-4-3-2-1 descending ladder is one continuous set so no rest when transitioning between rep changes
  • 45 second rest between sets
• Sets: 2

Coaching cues:

• Once you complete 6 reps of the push press, immediately get down on the ground and complete 6 reps per leg for the mountain climber, while gripping the weight.
• Drive your knees in fast with every rep, while maintaining a flat back and contracting your abs.
• Once you complete 6 mountain climbers per leg, immediately stand back up while holding the weight, then complete 5 reps of the push press.
• You should hear yourself huffing and puffing once you hit the 4 rep mark.
• Trust me, when people see you in the gym doing this, people will know you are in it to win it.
• You’re not in the gym to talk to chicks, especially if you already have a women that takes care of you 😂.
• Seriously, when you train Afterburn style, people will literally be looking at you like, “This person is on a mission”.
• Once you finish the set, take a 45 second rest, then repeat it one more time for a total of 2 sets.
• After you are done, move on to descending ladder tri-set C.

Jessica: When I was doing Afterburn in the gym, I used to get people come up to me asking, “What are you training for? Are you in the military or are you a police officer?”.

They think something is up with you because “normal people” don’t train this hard.

This makes Afterburn training way more fun than just a boring average workout.

Ryan’s Feedback On How He Felt During The Set

Jessica: How did that feel?

Ryan: I’m tired.

Brad: Look at the sweat on this guy’s shoulders. He’s gleaming.

Ryan: This sweat is not fake.

Jessica: It feels like you just did a sprint, right?

Ryan: That one got me.

Descending Ladder Tri-set C

It’s time to move on to descending ladder tri-set C, which includes a biceps exercise to get your guns pumping.

If you want to get guns like Ryan, you have to hit your biceps.

This total body tri-set is comprised of the following 3 exercises:

1. Standing Dumbbell Bicep Curl
2. Standing Dumbbell Shoulder Press
3. Dumbbell Front Squat

The rep scheme for this tri-set is set up as a 6-5-4-3-2-1 descending ladder.

You’ll be hitting the entire body with a bicep exercise, a vertical pushing exercise for the shoulders, and a lower body move for the legs.

When transitioning between exercises during this tri-set, you will never drop the weight or let it go out of your hands.

If you’re trying to figure out how much weight to use, pick the weight based on the hardest exercise.

For example, when comparing a shoulder press, to a front squat, to a bicep curl, the hardest exercise would be the bicep curl since you can’t lift as much during a bicep curl as you could during a front squat.

Therefore, pick a weight based on your bicep curl strength.

C1. Standing Dumbbell Bicep Curl

The first exercise in the descending ladder tri-set is the standing dumbbell bicep curl.

• Reps: 6-5-4-3-2-1 descending ladder
• Rest:
  • The 6-4-3-2-1 descending ladder is one continuous set so no rest when transitioning between rep changes
  • 45 second rest between sets
• Sets: 2

Coaching cues:

• Curl both dumbbells simultaneously at the same time, not alternating.
• Make sure you lower the dumbbells all the way down to take your biceps through a full range of motion.
• Once you are at the bottom of the bicep curl, you should be able to flex your triceps.
• That’s when you know you are at the bottom of a bicep curl.
• After flexing your triceps, power back up to the top of the curl.
• Complete 6 reps, then without letting go of the weight, immediately move into the standing dumbbell shoulder press.
• Once you get to the 4 rep mark, it begins to get easier.

C2. Standing Dumbbell Shoulder Press

The second exercise in the descending ladder tri-set is the standing dumbbell shoulder press.

• Reps: 6-5-4-3-2-1 descending ladder
• Rest:
  • The 6-4-3-2-1 descending ladder is one continuous set so no rest when transitioning between rep changes
  • 45 second rest between sets
• Sets: 2

Coaching cues:

• Make sure you keep your core turned on to protect your lower back.
• The difference between the push press and the shoulder press is there is no 1/4 squat during the shoulder press.
• The movement is primarily driven by the muscles in the shoulders, not the legs.

C3. Dumbbell Front Squat

The third and final exercise of this descending ladder tri-set is the dumbbell front squat.

• Reps: 6-5-4-3-2-1 descending ladder
• Rest:
  • The 6-4-3-2-1 descending ladder is one continuous set so no rest when transitioning between rep changes
  • 45 second rest between sets
• Sets: 2

Coaching cues:

• After completing 6 reps of the shoulder press, immediately transition into the front squat by pointing your elbows forward, while keeping your upper arms parallel to the floor.
• The mechanics of the squat include: pushing your hips back, then the knees bend, then push your feet through the floor to stand back up.
• Squat down until your thighs are parallel to the floor, then press your feet through the floor to press the floor away from you as you stand back up.
• In other words, don’t just stand up, think about pressing the floor away from you to generate as much power as you can.
• However, when I say to “squat down to parallel” that’s based on your range of motion.
• If you don’t have the proper mobility to get that low with proper form, I don’t want you to force your body into it.
• Based on your current mobility, stop where you have to stop to keep your form tight, but if you have the mobility, try to get to parallel.
• Make sure you are keeping all the weight even distributed through the bottom of your feet.
• If you notice your heels are coming off the floor when lowering into the squat, think about pushing your butt further back.
• Your heels should not come off the floor.
• Once you complete 6 reps, keep the weight in your hands, and immediately move back into the standing dumbbell bicep curl for 5 reps.
• You got this, finish strong.
• Once you finish the full descending ladder, take a 45 second rest, then repeat one more time for a total of 2 sets.

If you are in the middle of this descending ladder tri-set, but you just can’t go anymore, I’d rather you stop and take a quick 10 second break to compose yourself, rather than continuing with sloppy reps.

For example, if you’re doing the standing dumbbell shoulder press, and you’re feeling your lower back overarch, take a quick breath and drop the weight if you need too.

We’re about tight form to protect the body, not sloppy reps.

Workout Finisher: 7-6-5-4-3-2-1 Descending Ladder Superset D

You’re now on the last bodyweight superset.

This is a workout finisher, meaning you leave everything on the gym floor.

That way, when you leave the gym, you have nothing left to give.

For the workout finisher, complete a 7-6-5-4-3-2-1 descending ladder superset.

Don’t let the number of reps overwhelm you.

If you can’t start the descending ladder at 7 reps, start at 5 reps, then work your way down to 1.

This is how you can make this workout fit your current fitness level.

However, if you really want to push yourself, this workout is designed to get you sick results, so try to complete all the reps.

D1. Push Up Burpee

The first exercise in this 7-6-5-4-3-2-1 descending ladder superset is the burpee.

You can do any of the following burpee variations (ordered from easiest to hardest):

1. Beginner Burpee
   • Squat down, place your hands on the floor, step one leg back at a time to get to the top of a push up position, step one leg back in at a time, then stand up.
2. Squat Thrust Burpee
   • Squat down, place your hands on the floor, jump both legs back at the same time to get to the top of a push up position, jump both legs back in at the same time, then stand up.
3. Push Up Burpee
   • Squat down, place your hands on the floor, jump both legs back at the same time to get to the top of a push up position, complete a push up, jump both legs back in at the same time, then stand up.
4. Jump Burpee Push Up
   • Squat down, place your hands on the floor, jump both legs back at the same time to get to the top of a push up position, complete a push up, jump both legs back in at the same time, jump into the air with your hands over your head.
5. Burpee Push Up Tuck Jump, a.k.a. Atomic Burpee
   • Squat down, place your hands on the floor, jump both legs back at the same time to get to the top of a push up position, complete a push up, jump both legs back in at the same time, jump into the air and tuck your knees up.

Pick whichever burpee variation you want to do.

Ryan will go with the intermediate version, the push up burpee.

Since I know he can dunk at only 5’9″, rather than destroying the ceiling by jumping up, he’ll just add a push up.

• Reps: 7-6-5-4-3-2-1 descending ladder
• Rest:
  • The 7-6-4-3-2-1 descending ladder is one continuous set so no rest when transitioning between rep changes
• Sets: 1

Coaching cues:

• By adding in the push up, we are adding another pushing movement to activate more chest during this workout.
• Once you complete 7 burpees, move right into jump lunges.

D2. Jump Lunges

The second exercise in this 7-6-5-4-3-2-1 descending ladder superset is the jump lunge.

• Reps: 7-6-5-4-3-2-1 descending ladder
  • These reps are total reps, not reps per leg.
  • For example, count 1,2,3,4,5,6,7, then you’re done.
• Rest:
  • The 7-6-4-3-2-1 descending ladder is one continuous set so no rest when transitioning between rep changes
• Sets: 1

Coaching cues:

• During the jump lunge, swing your arms like an athlete.
• Once you complete 7 total jump lunges, immediately complete 6 burpees, and so on.

There you go.

You Just Did 28 Burpees

If I was to tell you do to 28 burpees in one set, you’d probably say you couldn’t do it.

However, when you break it down and make it more interesting like we just did with this 7-6-5-4-3-2-1 descending ladder superset, it makes it less intimidating and more fun.

That’s what i was really trying to achieve with this body recomposition workout plan.

In order to get you to come back and keep doing these workouts, I wanted to make these workouts more fun, interesting, and always changing.

That’s exactly what we did.

That descending ladder workout took us approximately 30 minutes to complete.

This means you will be in and out of the gym in less than 45 minutes.

The sweat is real, the workout is real, the results will be real.

We hope you enjoyed this workout.

In the comments below, make sure you let us know which of the 4 Afterburn workout styles is your favorite:

1. Circuit Training
2. Strength Circuits
3. Descending Ladder Training
4. Complex Training

I’m interested in hearing what you think.

Big thank you to Ryan for participating in today’s workout.

It’s such a pleasure to have another guy in here to workout with.

Next Workout: Circuit Training Workout #6