Fitness 360: James Grage, Training Program

To James Grage, age and injury are no excuse—they're just an additional challenge. Instead of shying away from training hard, James embraces it. Although he's no longer 22 and, as he puts it, his whole body is just "plates and rods," James pushes himself at the gym with a five-day split of cardio in the morning and lifting in the afternoon.



For a functional twist on the traditional weight-training program, he integrates some bodyweight-only exercises. It's a straightforward program that works for him. Having a 3,700 square foot gym at the BPI headquarters doesn't hurt either.



James Grage Fitness 360

Watch The Video - 14:54



There's something to be said for traditional training, especially when it works. For James, the old-school route has never posed a hurdle. It's a routine that he's been doing for a long time, a routine he enjoys and, most importantly, a routine that's led to results. "My style might be a bit antiquated but, who knows, maybe it'll come back in fashion," James jokes. Whether it does or not, his muscle-building workout is sure to remain the same.



James knows how to give each muscle group the attention it needs without overdoing it. "I'll break up my workouts," he says. "I'll have a back day, a biceps and triceps day, a chest day, and a shoulders, abs, and calves day."



Wide-grip Lat Pulldown



While the basis of his training remains the same, the number of sets and reps has evolved over the years. "When I was younger, I didn't have the injuries," James says. "I could come to the gym, abuse my body; and I would recover, I would grow." These days, he takes a more practical approach. "Really, at this point in my life, my biceps aren't going to get any bigger, my chest probably isn't going to get any bigger, and that's not even my goal now. I like the size I am and I like the strength—now it's just sustaining that and doing it over a long period of time."



Instead of training to exhaustion, James comes in and warms up with a set of 15 reps, then goes down to 12, and then 10. It's what his body is comfortable with and, more importantly, it's sustainable. "Progress is all in the recovery," he admits. "If I can't recover from it, it's pointless."



To James, it's not all about the training program, it's about how you apply it. "It's how much heart you show when you go into the gym," he says. "It's how hard you push yourself out of your comfort zone. It's just like anything else in life—it's the hard work."



His advice: Have a goal and flesh it out. "Find a goal, commit to it, and push yourself," James says. "Dig in and latch onto it. I think that's probably what's made me successful in most things in life."



Leg Extensions



James' Training Program

• Warm-Up


• Pushups
  
  1 set of 40 reps


• Working Sets


• Rope Jumping
  
  90 seconds between all sets


• Chain Press
  
  3 sets of 15, 12, 10 reps


• Barbell Incline Bench Press - Medium Grip
  
  3 sets of 15, 12, 10 reps


• Cable Crossover
  
  3 sets of 20, 15, 10 reps


• Suspended Push-Up
  
  3 sets to failure (about 16 inches off the ground)


• Hanging Leg Raise
  
  3 sets to failure


• Ab Roller
  
  3 sets to failure


• Flat Bench Lying Leg Raise
  
  3 sets to failure


• Weighted Crunches on a Swiss Ball
  
  to failure (25 lbs)


• Stretch
  
  5 minutes


• Extra: Abdominal Training
  
  
  
  15 minutes: mix of Hanging Leg Raises, Ab Wheel, Swiss Ball Crunches, Scissor Kicks on a bench, Weighted Crunch with cable machine using rope grip, and Side extensions
  

Incline Dumbbell Curl

• Working Sets


• Rope Jumping
  
  90 seconds between all sets


• Pullups
  
  3 sets to failure


• Wide-Grip Lat Pulldown
  
  3 sets of 15, 12, 10 reps


• Bent Over Two-Dumbbell Row
  
  3 sets of 15, 12, 10 reps


• Ring Pullups
  
  3 sets to failure


• Suspended Row
  
  3 sets to failure


• Dumbbell Shrug
  
  30 reps (light weight, slow, controlled motion)

• Warm-Up


• Step Mill
  
  15 minutes


• Stretching
  
  5 minutes


• Working Sets


• Rope Jumping
  
  90 seconds between all sets


• Bodyweight Squat with Swiss Ball (against a wall)
  
  2 sets of 50 reps


• Hack Squat
  
  3 sets of 30, 25, 20 reps (light weight)


• Leg Extensions
  
  3 sets 20, 15, 12 reps


• Lying Leg Curls
  
  3 sets of 20, 15, 12 reps


• Rowing, Stationary
  
  15 minutes at highest resistance


• Stretching
  
  10 minutes

Seated Bent-Over Rear Delt Raise

• Warm-Up


• Pushups
  
  1 set of 30 reps


• Pullups
  
  1 set to failure


• Stretching
  
  A few minutes of shoulder, chest, back stretches


• Working Sets


• Rope Jumping
  
  90 seconds between all sets


• Shoulder Press - With Bands
  
  3 sets of 15, 12, 10 reps


• Machine Shoulder (Military) Press
  
  3 sets of 15, 12, 10 reps


• Cable Seated Lateral Raise
  
  3 sets of 20, 15, 12 reps


• Seated Bent-Over Rear Delt Raise
  
  3 sets of 20, 15, 12 reps


• Upright Barbell Row
  
  3 sets of 20, 15, 12 reps


• Suspended Push-Up
  
  1 set to failure


• Extra: Abdominal Training
  
  
  
  15 minutes: mix of Hanging Leg Raises, Ab Wheel, Swiss Ball Crunches, Scissor Kicks on a bench, Weighted Crunch with cable machine using rope grip, and Side extensions
  

• Dumbbell Alternate Bicep Curl
  
  3 sets of 20, 15, 12 reps (light weight)


• Triceps Pushdown - Rope Attachment
  
  3 sets of 20, 15, 12 reps (light weight)


• Two-Arm Dumbbell Preacher Curl
  
  3 sets of 15, 12, 10 reps


• Ring Dips
  
  3 sets to failure


• Reverse Barbell Curl
  
  3 sets of 15, 12, 10 reps


• Dumbbell One-Arm Triceps Extension
  
  3 sets each arm of 15, 12, 10 reps


• Push-Ups - Close Triceps Position
  
  1 set to failure


• Chin-Up
  
  1 set to failure (with biceps concentration)

[ James Grage Fit 360 Main Page ]





About The Author



Stephanie Smith is a New York native who caught the fitness bug while earning a master's in journalism at the University of Missouri. Find out more.

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