MI40-FOUNDATION

7- DAY
PRIMER PHASE
By Ben Pakulski
Honors Kinesiology Degree, CSCS, ACE, MAT

www.benpakulski.com

Copyright 2015 Pakulski Fitness Internaional

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7-DAY
PRIMER PHASE
LEGAL DISCLAIMER
The information presented in this work is by no way intended as medical advice or as a substitute for medical counselling.
The information should be used in conjunction with the guidance and care of your physician. Consult your physician
before beginning this program as you would with any exercise and nutrition program. If you choose not to obtain the
consent of your physician and/or work with your physician throughout the duration of your time using the recommendations in the program, you are agreeing to accept full responsibility for your actions. By continuing with the program, you
recognize that, despite all precautions on the part of Pakulski Fitness International, there are risks of injury or illness
which can occur because of your use of the aforementioned information and you expressly assume such risks and waive,
relinquish and release any claim which you may have against Pakulski Fitness International, or its aliates as a result of
any future physical injury or illness incurred in connection with, or as a result of, the use or misuse of the program.

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7-DAY
PRIMER PHASE
Welcome To The 7-Day Primer Phase
The Philosophy
MI40-Foundation is a high intensity, high volume, overload type of workout system. In order for you to maximally benet
from this program, it is ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY that you:

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Execute each and every exercise perfectly. This does

NOT mean that you must execute these exercises with
maximum load (or weight).
Take the muscle through its maximal range of motion
(ROM) for a given exercise while maintaining constant
tension. This is all described in the Exercise Execution
Guide. The Primer Phase will give you a full week to get
familiar with what a full ROM feels like.
Initiate each repetition with the muscle you are intending
on working. For instance, if the pecs are being worked,
the rst movement must come from the pecs contracting. This sounds easy in theory, but is dicult in practice.
Try going to the gym when its less busy this week to
avoid the temptation of defaulting to your old lifting
patterns.
Consciously try to use the working muscle to pull or push
the weight through the ENTIRE range of motion..

Take a muscle into its fully shortened position, or as close

as you can without sacricing form. You will learn how to
do this by reading the Exercise Execution Guide and watching the online videos.

ELIMINATE extraneous movement. The ONLY movement that exists in this program is the movement necessary
to move the target muscle through its range of motion. NOT any other part of your body. NO swinging. NO
momentum. EVER! There is no place for it in this program. Again, watch the online videos to see how I coach my
students and listen for the cues I give them to lock down their form.

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7-DAY
PRIMER PHASE
This program is not only designed to build maximal amounts of muscle in a very short time, but also to train your body and
your nervous system on how to move so that you continue to grow going forward, long after youve completed the
MI40-Foundation program!
There should be NO plateaus when you know how to manipulate the variables within MI40-Foundation.

How to Get Primed!

The 7-day primer for MI40-Foundation is going to require
that you train each bodypart twice.
The exercises selected are very specic to the goal of teaching your
body how to contract each muscle through a full range of motion.
There will be NO FORCED REPS!.
The body moves in predetermined schema; patterns that exist in
your brain from previously rehearsed movements.

The goal of this MI40-Foundation Primer Phase is to begin to teach the body and brain to
rewire your current patterns of movement and replace them with the optimal ones for
symmetrical growth and maximal muscle stimulus.
Forced reps will teach your body the wrong patterns and create inconsistencies which slow the learning process. Ever
notice how your best body parts feel the most natural and you dont even have to think about them when you train? This is
NOT coincidence. Your brain has stored a more optimal movement pattern than you have for other (weaker) body parts.
Before starting this 7-Day Primer Phase, please take the time to watch the Exercise Execution Videos and read the Exercise
Execution Guide (AT LEAST once). Every time you re-watch / re-read, you will learn something new.
>

This will be vital to your success.

This primer will also be a pre-conditioning of sorts to prepare your body for what is about to take place over the following
40 days.
The goal of the primer is NOT to cause excessive soreness, tissue damage or neurological overload.

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7-DAY
PRIMER PHASE
The goal is to train the body and brain to move how YOU want them to. Pay attention to detail. Create GREAT habits.
Dont allow yourself to break them, ever.
* NOTE: if you plan on starting MI40-Foundation on a Monday for example, this primer phase must begin
10 days prior (which would be on a Friday)....
This ensures 3 days COMPLETELY OFF before beginning MI40-Foundation. Use these o days to ensure you have
everything you will need to complete the program successfully.

During this time:

Design or print your meal plan
Prep your meals

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Order supplements
Get a massage or 2
Stretch
Review ALL of the MI40-Foundation materials closely.
Rest and mentally prepare to give the program max eort!

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7-DAY
PRIMER PHASE
The Keys to Execution in the PRIMER Phase
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Initiate with the working muscle

The rst movement in the sequence MUST
come from the muscle you are trying to work.
If youre working your biceps, you must
consciously contract the biceps rst, from a
fully lengthened position.

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Maintain continuous tension.

Squeeze the working muscle throughout the
movement and never lose tension. You should
be able to stop at any point of the range (if you

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Tension at the extremes!

Perform a 1-second squeeze in the contracted position with conscious intent to really contract the working
muscle HARD!
(e.g; hold at the top of a bicep curl for a 1 count, or hold for 1 seconds at the bottom a lat pulldown).
Take a 1-second pause in the fully lengthened position.
(example; pausing for a 1-count at the bottom of a bench press or a squat to completely eliminate all momentum).
Take approximately 2 second to move from the contracted position to the lengthened position, and vice-versa.
The tempo for each exercise will be 2-1-2-1, with NO additional time used pausing at the bottom OR the top of
any exercise.

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One-second movements
Stimulate All Points of the strength curve.

Take approximately 1 second to move from the contracted position to the lengthened position, and
The exercises in the Primer Phase are chosen to ensure you train each muscle through its full contractile range.
vice-versa.
The work here is done for you!
Just follow the workouts.
1-2-1-2, with NO additional time used pausing at the bottom OR the top of any exercise.

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7-DAY
PRIMER PHASE
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Lock it down!
ZERO extraneous movement or body english. The only thing(s) moving should be the joint(s) you are training.
a.k.a No hip movement when doing bicep curls!

Initiate with the working muscle

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SQUEEZE it like it owes you money!

Your PRIMARY goal during this phase is to build and enhance your mind-muscle connection.
You have to consciously contract as hard as you possibly can on EVERY rep!

No body-English
DO NOT start movements by jerking from
other parts of the body or using momentum.
This is a no-no.

Squueeeze!
Perform a 2-second squeeze in the contracted position with conscious intent to really contract the working
muscle HARD! (e.g; hold at the top of a bicep curl for a 2 count, or hold for 2 seconds at the bottom a lat
pulldown)

Ensure FULL lengthening of the muscle.

Take a 2-second pause in the fully lengthened position.(example; pausing for a 2-count at the bottom of a
bench press or a squat to completely eliminate all momentum)..

One-second movements
Take approximately 1 second to move from the contracted position to the lengthened position, and
vice-versa.

Consistent Tempo!
1-2-1-2, with NO additional time used pausing at the bottom OR the top of any exercise.

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7-DAY
PRIMER PHASE
Executing the Primer Workouts
The Primer workouts will be performed in a giant set fashion. This means you will complete one exercise for each body
part with no rest between sets. Once you have completed all three exercises, rest for 180 seconds (3 minutes).

Example:
Example
Exercise 1, no rest
Exercise 2, no rest
Exercise 3, rest 3 minutes
Repeat for the indicated number of sets.
When selecting your weight, remember that there will be a lot of time under tension (TUT) so start lighter than you
normally would.
Your perceived exertion should be about 60% of your maximum output.
**This is NOT 60% of your 1 rep max, but 60% perceived exertion.
The goal here is training the correct form and wiring the movement pattern into your brain, not trying to kick your @$$.
(that will come later.)

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7-DAY
PRIMER PHASE
The 7-Day Primer Workouts
Day 1 - Back / Rear Delts / Biceps
INTENSITY: *60%

Exercise

Rest

Sets

Reps

Tempo

(Seconds)

A1

Hammer/ Machine Rows

15

2-1-2-1

A2

Bent DB Lateral Raises

15

2-1-2-1

A3

BB Curls

15

2-1-2-1

180

B1

One-Arm Dumbbell Rows

20

2-1-2-1

B2

Reverse-Pec Fly (for rear delts not back)

15

2-1-2-1

B3

Machine Preacher Curls

12

2-1-2-1

180

Neutral-Grip Seated Cable Rows

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7-DAY
PRIMER PHASE
Day 2 - Chest / Side Delts / Triceps
INTENSITY: *60%

Exercise

Rest

Sets

Reps

Tempo

(Seconds)

A1

BB Bench Press

12

2-1-2-1

A2

DB Lateral Raises

20

2-1-2-1

A3

Dual Rope Tricep Pushdown/ Pressdowns with

Elbow Behind Body, Neutral-grip

15

2-1-2-1

180

B1

30 Incline Dumbbell Flys

15

2-1-2-1

B2

Cable Lateral Raises

15

2-1-2-1

B3

Overhead Cable/ Rope Extensions

(facing away from apparatus)

15

2-1-2-1

180

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7-DAY
PRIMER PHASE
Day 3 - Quads / Hamstrings / Calves
INTENSITY: *60%

Exercise

Rest

Sets

Reps

Tempo

(Seconds)

A1

Lying Leg Curls - Body Extended

12

2-1-2-1

A2

BB Quad Squats

20

2-1-2-1

A3

Standing Calf Raises

15

2-1-2-1

180

B1

Seated Leg Curls

12

2-1-2-1

B2

Leg Extensions

15

2-1-2-1

B3

Seated Calf Raises

20

2-1-2-1

180

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7-DAY
PRIMER PHASE
Day 4 - Back / Rear Delts / Biceps
INTENSITY: *80%

Exercise

Rest

Sets

Reps

Tempo

(Seconds)

A1

Wide Grip Lat Pulldowns, Over-hand grip

15

2-1-2-1

A2

Low Incline Lateral Raises (for rear delts)

15

2-1-2-1

A3

Elbows High, Cable Bicep Curls

(facing toward apparatus)

15

2-1-2-1

180

B1

Reverse-grip Lat Pulldowns

12

2-1-2-1

B2

Bent Cable Lateral Raises

20

2-1-2-1

B3

Low Cable Bicep Curls (facing toward apparatus)

15

2-1-2-1

180

Full Workouts Part

of MI40 Foundation
Accelerator Package

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7-DAY
PRIMER PHASE
Day 5 - Chest / Side Delts /Triceps
INTENSITY: *80%

Exercise

Rest

Sets

Reps

Tempo

(Seconds)

A1

Flat Db Chest Press

12

2-1-2-1

A2

DB Overhead Press

20

2-1-2-1

A3

Cross-Cable Extension with Elbow Back (single arm

15

2-1-2-1

180

B1

Incline Machine/ Hammer-Strength Chest Press

15

2-1-2-1

B2

Cable Lateral Raises

20

2-1-2-1

B3

Lying DB Tricep Extensions

15

2-1-2-1

180

Full Workouts Part

of MI40 Foundation
Accelerator Package

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7-DAY
PRIMER PHASE
Day 6 - Quads / Hamstrings / Calves
INTENSITY: *80%

Exercise

Rest

Sets

Reps

Tempo

(Seconds)

A1

Hack Squats

20

2-1-2-1

A2

Lying Leg Curls

12

2-1-2-1

A3

Seated Calf Raises

20

2-1-2-1

180

B1

Romanian Deadlifts

15

2-1-2-1

B2

Leg Press- feet low (Quad emphasis)

20

2-1-2-1

B3

Horizontal/ Leg Press Calf Press

15

2-1-2-1

180

Full Workouts Part

of MI40 Foundation
Accelerator Package

Day 7 OFF
Take 3 Days Rest, Then Begin MI40-Foundation!

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