7- DAY
PRIMER PHASE
By Ben Pakulski
Honors Kinesiology Degree, CSCS, ACE, MAT
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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 recommenda-
tions 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
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:
01
01 Execute each and every exercise perfectly. This does
NOT mean that you must execute these exercises with
maximum load (or weight).
ELIMINATE extraneous movement. The ONLY movement that exists in this program is the movement necessary
06
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.
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 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.
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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.
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7-DAY
PRIMER PHASE
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.
One-second movements
04 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!
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
05 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
06 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)
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
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
When selecting your weight, remember that there will be a lot of time under tension (TUT) so start lighter than you
normally would.
**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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Rest
Exercise Sets Reps Tempo (Seconds)
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7-DAY
PRIMER PHASE
Rest
Exercise Sets Reps Tempo (Seconds)
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7-DAY
PRIMER PHASE
Rest
Exercise Sets Reps Tempo (Seconds)
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7-DAY
PRIMER PHASE
Rest
Exercise Sets Reps Tempo (Seconds)
A3
Full Workouts Part
Elbows High, Cable Bicep Curls
(facing toward apparatus)
4 15 2-1-2-1 180
B1
of MI40 Foundation
Reverse-grip Lat Pulldowns 4 12 2-1-2-1 0
Accelerator Package
B2 Bent Cable Lateral Raises 4 20 2-1-2-1 0
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7-DAY
PRIMER PHASE
Rest
Exercise Sets Reps Tempo (Seconds)
A3
Full Workouts Part
Cross-Cable Extension with Elbow Back (single arm 4 15 2-1-2-1 180
B1
of MI40 Foundation
Incline Machine/ Hammer-Strength Chest Press 4 15 2-1-2-1 0
Accelerator Package
B2 Cable Lateral Raises 4 20 2-1-2-1 0
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7-DAY
PRIMER PHASE
Rest
Exercise Sets Reps Tempo (Seconds)
A3
Full Workouts Part
Seated Calf Raises 4 20 2-1-2-1 180
B1
of MI40 Foundation
Romanian Deadlifts 4 15 2-1-2-1 0
Accelerator Package
B2 Leg Press- feet low (Quad emphasis) 4 20 2-1-2-1 0
Day 7 OFF
Take 3 Days Rest, Then Begin MI40-Foundation!
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