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 — Swiss Ball / Dumbbells
Stand on 1 leg with the opposite foot placed onto a swiss ball behind you with the knee flexed and hold dumbbells to your side. Bend the supporting leg and extend the back leg allowing the ball to roll backwards. Lean the torso forward over the front leg and maintain ankle and knee alignment. Roll the ball inwards as you extend the front leg bringing the body upright.
AEROBIC / BREAKDANCE
Begin on all 4s with the knees raised just off the floor. Take your weight onto 1 hand and the opposite foot and simultaneously twist the body and pass the free leg under the body. Straighten the leg then return to centre and repeat side to side. Keep the movement continuous.
PRESS-UP — Swiss Ball
Begin in a press-up position, feet balanced on a swiss ball, hands just wider than shoulder width and arms extended. Engage your core and keep your body straight. Bend the arms, elbows flared to the side slightly and lower your chest towards the floor. Extend the arms.
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 – Kettlebell
Begin in a plank position with your core engaged. Alternately reach a hand forward to touch a kettlebell (or any object). Maintain your position, do not allow the hips to drop or twist.
ROW – Band
Stand with the opposite leg forward to working arm. Hold a band in 1 hand with the other end attached at chest height. Pull the band towards you keeping the elbow flared to the side. Rotate the torso as you pull.
LUNGE — Dumbbells
Stand feet hip width apart and hold dumbbells to your side. Lunge forwards until the back knee is just off the floor and both knees are at right angles. Keep the pelvis slightly tucked under and the body upright. Step together and repeat with the same leg.
AEROBIC / FROG JUMPS
Squat in a frog position, feet and knees turned out and your hands on the floor between your legs. Reach forward with your arms and take your weight onto your hand. Jump the legs forward and reach your arms up to shoulder height. Reverse the movement jumping backwards.
RESISTANCE WORKOUT TWO
Perform this workout with the same exercise concept as workout one.
CHEST PRESS — Swiss Ball / Dumbbells
Support your upper back on a swiss ball and lower your hips towards the floor. Hold dumbbells above you with your arms fully extended. Inhale as you bend your arms bringing the hands towards the shoulders with your elbows flared to the side and exhale as you extend.
LEG RAISES — Swiss Ball / Dumbbell
Lie with your back over a swiss ball, legs raised above you with slight knee flexion and a dumbbell held between the feet. Hold onto a stable surface behind you. Engage your core, inhale and lower the legs towards the floor whilst maintaining neutral spine. Exhale and raise the legs.
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.
DEADLIFT — Kettlebell
Stand feet shoulder width apart, bend the knees, hinge from the hips and take hold of the kettlebell in both hands. Perform a deadlift by pressing the feet into the ground and straightening the legs. Do not let the lower back round, maintain neutral spine. Lower under control.
LATERAL FLEXION — Wall / Swiss Ball / Weight
Lie laterally with your hip supported on top of a swiss ball and your feet wedged against a wall to maintain balance. Hold a weight to your chest, engage your core then lower and raise your body over the ball.
BURPEE
Stand with your feet hip width apart and jump as high as possible. As you land, place your hands on the floor and jump your legs back into a plank position with your body extended. Perform a press-up. Jump your feet back towards your hands and begin again. Keep the movement as fluid as possible.
PRESS-UP — Medicine Ball
Begin in a press-up position, feet balanced on a medicine ball, hands just wider than shoulder width and arms extended. Engage your core and keep your body straight. Bend the arms, elbows flared to the side slightly and lower your chest towards the floor. Extend the arms.
AEROBIC / TUCK JUMPS
Begin standing with your feet hip width apart, bend the knees and jump as high as possible bringing your knees up to your chest. Land then prepare again.
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 |
| 12 | 30 sec | 20 sec |
| Lactic Acid Removal Phase - 18 minutes | ||
| 12 | 30 sec | 20 sec |
| Total Workout Time - 38 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.