Red or Dead
What worked for the Russian army will work for you.


One can’t argue that an Adonis torso isn’t a worthy goal, but that thought alone isn’t enough to draw you to the gym, to curl endless curl, staring glumly at yourself in the mirror. You can avoid muscle monotony. “The key to a successful workout,” says Alex Reznik, the owner of Complete Body Development and a former fitness trainer for the Russian army, “is change.” Reznik has developed a system based on an old Russian model called periodization, a cycle in which you alter an exercise to make it increasingly difficult. The first cycle is the most basic; the second cycle incorporates more balance and core; the third cycle adds power and strength. “For each exercise,” says Reznik, “there are literally hundreds of variations.” We asked Reznik to riff on a few basic (and boring) exercises using tools you’re likely to find in your gym. JOSHUA DAVID STEIN