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JYM Winners Weekend "Chopped" Challenge

JYM Winners Weekend "Chopped" Challenge

Five JimStoppani.com Challenge winners produced five unique (and challenging) workouts to keep your muscles guessing... and growing.

Written By Jim Stoppani, PhD

Updated May 21, 2019

During my last JimStoppani.com Winner’s Weekend, I offered the five JYM Army members – Diane, Lesly, Matt, Stephen, and Steven – yet another challenge: To create their own workouts within specific parameters defined by me.

I based this concept off the popular cooking show “Chopped.” And I did it to see how much the five of them have learned in the past months and years as JimStoppani.com members, but also to learn a thing or two from them.

Here’s the JYM Weekend "Chopped" Challenge I offered them:

Dear Challenge Winners,

Welcome to the JYM! Your challenge, if you accept it, is to create the best whole-body workout possible using the following 9 exercises.

Bench Press
Row
Lateral Raise
Squat
Shrug
Curl
Triceps Extension
Calf Raise
Crunch

You must decide what variation of each movement to use, exercise order, number of sets and reps, and what intensity techniques you’ll use (if any). On Saturday, you must explain the design of the workout to me, what the main goal is, and how the workout is designed to achieve that goal. You must also walk me through a demonstration of all exercises, showing how to perform each one properly.

One caveat: None of your exercise variations can be the same, since we’re all going to do the workouts simultaneously at The JYM in Hollywood. So, no duplicate exercises. If we find any that are the same, you’ll have to think on the fly and come up with a unique variation of the movement – the same way you would if training at a crowded gym.

Good luck! And if you get stuck, just think “WWJD” – What Would Jim Do?

And the Winners Are...

All five winners came up with great workouts, but I only had two trophies to award – one for “Best Program Design” and the other for “Best Exercise Form.” In other words, the best workout designer and the best exercise technician.

The winners...

Best Program Design: Diane Kelley

Best Exercise Form: Matt Garza

I’m super proud of both Diane and Matt, as well as the Lesly, Stephen, and Steven. But also, I want everyone else to learn from their workouts – I shouldn’t be the only one you learn from!

That said, below you’ll find all five JYM Weekend "Chopped" Workouts (you can download them all, too, by using the Jim Stoppani app). Plug these one-off routines into your training whenever you want – on consecutive days, one at a time for “active rest” workouts, whatever you prefer.

Hope you enjoy these workouts and learn something from them. And maybe next time Winner’s Weekend in Hollywood rolls around I’ll be asking you for your workout!

JYM Weekend "Chopped" Workouts

Diane Kelley (winner, Best Program Design)

Goal: Fat Loss

Exercise	Sets	Reps
Reverse-Grip Dumbbell Bench Press +	3	10*
One-Arm Dumbbell Row	3	10*
Standing Calf Raise	2	15
Cable Sumo Squat +	3	10*
One-Arm Cable Lateral Raise	3	10*
Cable Toe Raise	2	15
Cable Overhead Triceps Extension +	3	10*
Behind-the-Back Cable Curl	3	10*
Seated Calf Raise	2	15
Cable Shrug +	3	20*
Cable Crunch	3	20*

Exercises with a "+" between them are to be done as supersets. Other exercises (standing calf raise, cable toe raise, seated calf raise) are performed in between superset pairings.

*On the third (last) set, do one rest-pause.

Download Diane's Workout Here

Matt Garza (winner, Best Exercise Form)

Goal: Hypertrophy (muscle growth)

Exercise	Sets	Reps
Bench Press +	3	12-15
Barbell Bent-Over Row	3	12-15
Barbell Squat +	3	12-15
Crunch	3	To failure
Dumbbell Lateral Raise +	3	12-15
Dumbbell Row	3	12-15
Barbell Triceps Extension +	3	12-15
Barbell Curl	3	12-15
Standing Calf Raise +	3	12-15
Calf Machine Shrug	3	12-15

Exercises with a "+" between them are to be done as supersets. No rest between sets.

Download Matt's Workout Here

Lesly Donahoe

Goal: Strength

Exercise	Sets	Reps
Front Squat	6	5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 30
Dumbbell Bench Press	6	5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 30
Reverse-Grip Barbell Bent-Over Row	6	5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 30*
Leaning Dumbbell Lateral Raise	6	5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 30*
Triceps Kickback	6	5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 30*
Barbell Curl	6	5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 30*
Dumbbell Shrug	6	5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 30*
Seated Calf Raise	6	5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 30*
Roman Chair Crunch	6	5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 30*

For each exercise, select a weight with which you can get five reps on all five sets.

Rest 2-3 minutes between all sets.

*On the last set of each exercise, lighten the weight considerably and perform one last set to failure at around 30 reps.

Download Lesly's Workout Here

Steven White

Goal: Size and Strength

Exercise	Sets	Reps
Bench Press	3	8-10
Triceps Pressdown	3	8-10
Incline Bench Press	3	8-10
Barbell Bent-Over Row	3	8-10
Reverse-Grip Bench Press	3	8-10
Cable Behind-the-Back Curl	3	8-10
Hack Squat	3	8-10
Barbell Behind-the-Back Shrug	3	8-10
Barbell Shoulder Press	3	8-10
Leg Raise	3	8-10
Seated Calf Raise	3	8-10

Download Steven's Workout Here

Stephen Richnafsky

Goal: 5-Week Hypertrophy and Strength Program

(*Feel free to follow Stephen's program for 5 consecutive weeks; the other four workouts in this article are more suitable for active rest days.)

Day 1

Exercise	Sets	Reps
Bench Press +	4	35, 20, 10, 5
Barbell Bent-Over Row	4	35, 20, 10, 5
Incline Bench Press +	4	35, 20, 10, 5
Chin-Up	4	35, 20, 10, 5
Reverse-Grip Bench Press +	4	35, 20, 10, 5
Reverse-Grip Barbell Bent-Over Row	4	35, 20, 10, 5
Barbell Shoulder Press +	4	35, 20, 10, 5
Barbell Upright Row	4	35, 20, 10, 5
Barbell Shrug +	4	35, 20, 10, 5
Straight-Arm Pushdown	4	35, 20, 10, 5
Standing Calf Raise +	4	35, 20, 10, 5
Kettlebell Toe Raise	4	35, 20, 10, 5
Leg Press Calf Raise +	4	35, 20, 10, 5
Seated Calf Raise	4	35, 20, 10, 5

Day 2

Exercise	Sets	Reps
Squat +	4	35, 20, 10, 5
Hanging Leg Raise	4	35, 20, 10, 5
Leg Press +	4	35, 20, 10, 5
Ab Roll-Out	4	35, 20, 10, 5
Hack Squat +	4	35, 20, 10, 5
Crunch	4	35, 20, 10, 5
Barbell Lying Triceps Extension +	4	35, 20, 10, 5
Seated Barbell Curl	4	35, 20, 10, 5
Close-Grip Bench Press +	4	35, 20, 10, 5
Smith Machine Curl Throw	4	35, 20, 10, 5
Barbell Wrist Curl +	4	35, 20, 10, 5
Barbell Reverse Wrist Curl	4	35, 20, 10, 5
Leg Press Calf Raise +	4	35, 20, 10, 5
Seated Calf Raise	4	35, 20, 10, 5

Day 3

Exercise	Sets	Reps
Dumbbell Bench Press +	4	35, 20, 10, 5
Dumbbell Bent-Over Row	4	35, 20, 10, 5
Dumbbell Flye +	4	35, 20, 10, 5
Wide-Grip Lat Pulldown	4	35, 20, 10, 5
Reverse-Grip Dumbbell Bench Press +	4	35, 20, 10, 5
Reverse-Grip Lat Pulldown	4	35, 20, 10, 5
Arnold Press +	4	35, 20, 10, 5
Dumbbell Upright Row	4	35, 20, 10, 5
Behind-the-Back Dumbbell Shrug +	4	35, 20, 10, 5
Dips	4	35, 20, 10, 5
Cable Rear Delt Flye +	4	35, 20, 10, 5
Cable Shrug	4	35, 20, 10, 5
Hack Squat Machine Calf Raise +	4	35, 20, 10, 5
One-Leg Standing Calf Raise	4	35, 20, 10, 5
Smith Machine Seated Calf Raise +	4	35, 20, 10, 5
Dumbbell Seated Calf Raise	4	35, 20, 10, 5

Day 4

Exercise	Sets	Reps
Deadlift +	4	35, 20, 10, 5
Decline Crunch	4	35, 20, 10, 5
Front Squat +	4	35, 20, 10, 5
Side Plank Reach Through	4	35, 20, 10, 5
Dumbbell Reverse Lunge +	4	35, 20, 10, 5
Lying Leg Raise	4	35, 20, 10, 5
One-Arm Dumbbell Triceps Extension +	4	35, 20, 10, 5
Prone Incline Dumbbell Curl	4	35, 20, 10, 5
Cable Pressdown +	4	35, 20, 10, 5
High Cable Curl	4	35, 20, 10, 5
Rope Pressdown +	4	35, 20, 10, 5
Behind-the-Back Cable Curl	4	35, 20, 10, 5
One-Arm Dumbbell Wrist Curl +	4	35, 20, 10, 5
One-Arm Dumbbell Reverse Wrist Curl	4	35, 20, 10, 5
Cable Wrist Curl +	4	35, 20, 10, 5
Dumbbell Side Reverse Wrist Curl	4	35, 20, 10, 5

Day 5

Exercise	Sets*	Reps*
Decline Bench Press	6	20 sec.
Seated Cable Row (close grip)	6	20 sec.
Walking Lunge	6	20 sec.
Standing Dumbbell Shoulder Press	6	20 sec.
Dumbbell Shrug	6	20 sec.
Hack Squat	6	20 sec.
Standing Overhead Barbell Triceps Extension	6	20 sec.
Hammer Curl	6	20 sec.
Machine Wrist Curl	6	20 sec.
Crunch	6	20 sec.