MONTHLY WORKOUT SCHEDULE
Below is our recommended order and number of workouts. Try to stick as close to this as possible. Always keep the order of the workouts the same even if you have to take days off. Ideally do not have more than one day off in a row.
| Day 1 | Cardio | Day 15 | Cardio |
| Day 2 | Workout One | Day 16 | Cardio |
| Day 3 | Cardio | Day 17 | Workout Two |
| Day 4 | Cardio | Day 18 | Cardio |
| Day 5 | Workout Two | Day 19 | Workout One |
| Day 6 | Cardio | Day 20 | Cardio |
| Day 7 | Rest | Day 21 | Rest |
| Day 8 | Workout One | Day 22 | Cardio |
| Day 9 | Cardio | Day 23 | Workout Two |
| Day 10 | Cardio | Day 24 | Cardio |
| Day 11 | Workout Two | Day 25 | Workout One |
| Day 12 | Cardio | Day 26 | Cardio |
| Day 13 | Workout One | Day 27 | Cardio | Day 14 | Rest | Day 28 | Rest |
DYNAMIC WARM-UP
The warm-up is to mobilise and prime your body, it should be specific to the exercise you are about to perform. We recommend 5 mins of gentle cardio to increase body temperature and blood flow to the muscles. Follow this with movements that mimic your exercises but at a slower pace with reduced intensity.
Try our basic warm-up or advanced version with a medicine ball.
RESISTANCE WORKOUT ONE
This concept is called Circuits. Perform 8 exercises back to back (15 reps), with minimal rest between each exercise. This constitutes a set, at the end of the set rest for 2 mins. Perform 5 sets in total. Remember to keep the weights heavy and challenging to elicit the correct hormonal and metabolic response.
EXERCISE CONCEPT – CIRCUITS
| Exercises in each set | 8 |
| Reps | 15 |
| Sets | 5 |
| Rest between sets | 2 min |
Before commencing your workout click here for technique advice on some of the big exercises.
LUNGE — Dumbbells
Stand in a lunge position with a heavy dumbbell held in the same hand as front leg and a lighter dumbbell in the other hand pressed overhead. Lower into a lunge until the back knee is just off the floor and simultaneously lower the dumbbell to shoulder height. Keep the pelvis slightly tucked under and the body upright. As you extend the legs press the weight overhead.
SQUAT — Kettlebell
Stand feet slightly wider than shoulder width and hold a kettlebell in both hands. Hinge from the hips with slight knee flexion and swing the bell through the legs maintaining neutral spine, do not round the lower back. Allow the momentum to lift the bell and bring it to your chest. Perform a deep squat, then press the weight overhead and begin the next swing.
CHEST PRESS — Swiss Ball / Bosu / Dumbbells
Support your upper back on a swiss ball, feet on a bosu and lower your hips towards the floor. Hold dumbbells above you with your arms fully extended. Alternately bend your arms bringing the hands towards the shoulders with your elbows flared to the side.
QUAD SQUATS — Dumbbells
Stand with your feet close together and heels raised onto a plate. Hold dumbbells to your shoulders and lower into a squat. Take the squat as deep as possible keeping your chest lifted. Allow the knees to come slightly forward of the toes.
PLANK — Dumbbell
Lie on your side and place your weight onto your forearm with your shoulder directly over your elbow. Stack your feet on top of each other and raise the body. Hold a dumbbell in the free hand then rotate the torso taking the weight underneath the body then extend the arm to the ceiling.
ROW — Dumbbell
Begin feet hip width apart. Take your weight onto 1 leg and hold a dumbbell in the opposite hand. Hinge at the hip and bring your torso parallel to the floor with slight knee flexion. Pull with the arm to perform a single arm row, elbow close to your body. Stand upright to join the legs.
LUNGE — Dumbbells
Stand with 1 foot forward and the other foot back behind you with the heel raised. Hold dumbbells to the shoulders. Lower into a lunge position until the back knee is just off the floor and both knees are at right angles. Jump and change legs, simultaneously moving laterally.
AEROBIC / BURPEE — Bosu
Stand with the bosu raised overhead. As you begin the exercise lower the bosu to the ground (flat side up) and jump the legs backwards into a plank position with the feet hip width apart. Jumps the legs forward and raise the Bosu overhead. Try not to round the lower back.
RESISTANCE WORKOUT TWO
Perform this workout with the same exercise concept as workout one.
PRESS UP
Begin standing, feet hip width apart. Take a long step backwards and place your hands either side of your front foot, take the other leg back to join feet and perform a press-up. Step the foot back in between the hands then step the other leg in to join feet and stand tall. Alternate legs.
LEG RAISES — Bench / Dumbbell
Lie on a flat bench with your legs raised and a dumbbell held between the feet. Hold onto the bench beside your head, engage your core and inhale as you lower your legs. Take the legs below the level of the bench with slight knee flexion. Exhale as you bring your legs back over head and raise your hips.
SQUAT — Dumbbells
Stand feet shoulder width apart and hold dumbbells to your shoulders. Bend the knees into a deep squat, push the bottom backwards and maintain neutral spine. As you straighten the legs, press the dumbbells overhead. Make sure your knees track inline with your toes.
STIFF LEG DEADLIFT – Dumbbells
Stand, feet hip width apart and dumbbells held in both hands. Place your weight into your heels, hinge forward from the hip with slight knee flexion and lower the weights towards the floor. Only go to the point where you can maintain neutral spine, do not round the lower back. Engage the glutes and straighten the legs as you stand upright.
JACKS
Lie on the floor with the arms extended overhead. Raise the upper and lower body reaching the hands towards the toes. Keep the back neutral, the chest lifted and the legs as straight as possible. Lower under control.
AEROBIC / PLANK
Place your weight onto your hands and toes, draw your navel to spine and create a straight line through the body. Make sure your hands are underneath your shoulders and maintain neutral spine. Jump the legs apart and together.
PULL OVER – Swiss Ball / Dumbbell
Support your head and shoulders on a swiss ball, raise your hips and hold a dumbbell above you with one hand. With slight elbow flexion, lower the weight behind you on the inhale. Keep the arms lengthened and bring the weight back over the body as you exhale. Maintain neutral spine.
LUNGE — Dumbbells
Stand with 1 foot forward and the other foot back behind you with the heel raised. Hold dumbbells to the shoulders. Lower into a lunge position until the back knee is just off the floor and both knees are at right angles. Jump and change legs, simultaneously moving laterally.
CARDIO WORKOUT
The cardio workout is split into 3 sections: Intervals, lactic acid removal phase, followed by a repeat of the intervals. You can use any piece of cardio equipment such as the cross trainer, treadmill, rower, bike or skipping rope. You can also combine equipment rather than performing the entire workout on one machine. If you are training at home, take a look at the video and choose a combination of cardio exercises to perform.
Intervals (pre LAR phase) – perform the required number of intervals. The sprint phase should be performed at 100%, the highest intensity possible and the rest phase should be performed at a low intensity to recover. For example on a cross-trainer increase the speed for the sprint phase then bring it back down on the rest phase, allowing you to recover.
Lactic acid removal phase – work at a consistent pace, but to the maximum intensity possible (you should not be able to hold a conversation) yet able to sustain it for the required length of time. The time is stated in minutes below the first table.
Intervals (post LAR phase) – perform the intervals again with the same format as the first section.
Enjoy!
CARDIO CONCEPT
| Number of Intervals | Sprints | Rest |
| 18 | 15 sec | 30 sec |
| Lactic Acid Removal Phase - 12 minutes | ||
| 18 | 15 sec | 30 sec |
| Total Workout Time - 39 minutes | ||
SPRINT PHASE
This video shows examples of cardio exercises to use when performing the sprint phase of your interval training. Choose one thats suits your level.
REST PHASE
This is the recovery phase. Choose from marching on the spot, an easy jog or a combination of the two.
STRETCHES
Hold each position for 1 minute and increase the length of time on particularly tight muscles.
GLUTES & BACK
Lie on your back with your arms stretched out wide, take one knee across your body and apply gentle pressure drawing the knee towards the floor.
GLUTES
Lie on your back and place your foot onto the opposite knee. Press the top knee outwards as you clasp the underneath leg and draw it towards you.
BACK
Sit back onto your heels and simultaneously reach your hands forward with your forehead resting on the floor.
ABDOMINALS
Lie prone (on your front) and place your hands beneath your shoulders. Press into the floor, straighten your arms and raise your body.
HIP FLEXOR
In a half kneeling position tuck your pelvis under, squeeze your glutes and press your hips forward.
QUADS
Draw your foot towards your bottom. Squeeze your glutes, tuck your pelvis under and keep your knees together.
HAMSTRINGS & CALF
Raise your foot onto a surface and lean your body forward. Flex the foot bringing the toe towards you.
CALF
Lean into a wall, extend the back knee and press the heel into the floor. Ensure both feet are in a parallel position.
LATERAL
Place one foot behind the other and reach the same arm (as back leg) overhead. To increase the stretch lean laterally.
UPPER BACK
Place your hands together and reach forward. Drop your head between your arms and curve your upper back.
CHEST
Place your forearm onto a wall, creating right angles at the shoulder and elbow joints. Apply pressure into the wall and turn your torso away.
TRICEP
Take one arm overhead and bend at the elbow. Apply pressure with the opposite hand and keep the head raised.
ALTERNATIVE EXERCISES
Use this section to replace specific exercises in your programme which do not work for you. This may be due to not having the correct equipment, the exercise being too challenging / not challenging enough, or possibly due to an injury. Click on the links below to find alternative exercises for the same body part or movement.