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 programme This programme consists of 10 exercises performed consecutively for 45 seconds each with 15 seconds to move into the next exercise. This constitutes a set. Rest for 2.5 minutes in between each set. Perform 4 sets in total. Remember to keep the weights heavy and challenging to elicit the correct hormonal and metabolic response.
EXERCISE CONCEPT – 45's
| Exercises in each set | 9 |
| Time of each exercise | 45 sec |
| Sets | 4 |
| Rest between sets | 2.5 min |
Before commencing your workout click here for technique advice on some of the big exercises.
CHEST FLY — Bosu / Dumbbells
Support your head and shoulders on a bosu, raise your hips and squeeze your glutes. Hold the dumbbells above you with slight elbow flexion. Inhale as you open 1 arm out to the side until it is parallel with the torso. Exhale as you raise the dumbbell. Alternate sides and use your core to stabilise the body.
SQUAT — Box
Stand with your feet hip width apart. Jump onto the box landing in a squat position. Jump backwards off the box into a squat and begin again. Keep the movement fluid and aim to maintain neutral spine throughout.
DEADLIFT — Dumbbell
Stand feet shoulder width apart, hold a dumbbell in one hand in front of you. Hinge at the hips, bend the knees and lower the dumbbell towards the floor. Do not let the lower back round, maintain neutral spine. Engage glutes, push the feet into the ground and you straighten the legs.
PLANK
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. Extend the free arm to the ceiling and raise the top leg. Keep your hips lifted laterally and hold the position.
LUNGE — Kettlebell
Hold the kettlebell in 1 hand and swing it backwards, simultaneously take the same leg back into a lunge. As the bell swings forwards to shoulder height step together, change hands and repeat the movement to the other side. Be aware of knocking the knees with the kettlebell.
PRESS-UP
Begin in a press-up position with 1 hand placed slightly further forward. As you perform a press-up, raise the opposite knee (to the front hand) and place it on top of your elbow. Turn your head to the same direction. Extend the arms, step the raised foot forward and simultaneously move the back hand forward. Continue to traveling the movement.
CRUNCH — Medicine Ball
Lie on your back with your legs raised, knees bent and a medicine ball held overhead with the arms extended. Curl up into a crunch and place the ball onto your knees. Maintain the position of the legs by engaging your core and lower the body with the arms extended overhead. Raise up into a crunch, take the ball and repeat.
STIFF LEG DEAD LIFT — Dumbbell
Stand on 1 leg and hold a dumbbell in the opposite hand. Place your weight into the heel as you hinge forward from the hip, bend the supporting leg slightly and lower the dumbbell towards the floor. Allow the free leg to move backwards. Only go to the point where you can maintain neutral spine, do not round the lower back. Straighten the leg as you stand upright.
AEROBIC / POWER SKIP
Hop as high as possible bringing your arms forward to help the movement, land and take the raised leg behind you into a long lunge position and place your hands to the floor either side of your front foot. Keep the movement continuous and high energy.
RESISTANCE WORKOUT TWO
Perform this workout with the same exercise concept as workout one.
LUNGE — Dumbbell
Stand feet hip width apart and hold dumbbells to your side. Lunge backwards 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.
PRESS-UP
Begin in a press-up position, hands just wider than shoulder width and arms extended. As you perform the press-up, push away forcefully and use the momentum to clap your hands together in between each repetition.
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.
HIP THRUST — Swiss Ball / Dumbbell
Support your head and shoulders on a swiss ball and hold a dumbbell on your hips, with the hips lifted. Allow your bottom to lower towards the floor, your head and shoulders will lift slightly as there should be no arching of the upper back. Contract the glutes and raise the hips.
LEG RAISES – Swiss Ball
Lie on your back with your legs raised to the ceiling and a swiss ball held between the feet. Engage your core, maintain neutral spine and lower the ball towards the floor. Do not allow the lower back to over arch and keep the legs as straight as possible. Raise the legs.
ROW — Block / Dumbbell
Perform a plank on 1 hand (placed onto a block) and hold a dumbbell in the other. Engage your core to maintain stability and pull into a single arm row. Allow the body to rotate and raise the elbow. Make sure your wrist is placed directly under your shoulder.
AEROBIC / CATERPILLARS
Stand with your feet hip width apart. Bend the knees, reach to the floor and walk your hands forwards as far as possible maintaining core control. Walk the hands back to your feet and stand upright.
OBLIQUES – Swiss Ball / Dumbbell
Begin with your head and shoulders on a swiss ball and hold a dumbbell overhead in both hands. Keep the arms extended as you lower the dumbbell to one side allowing the body to rotate with it. Draw it back to centre and repeat to the other side.
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.
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 |
| 10 | 40 sec | 20 sec |
| Lactic Acid Removal Phase - 15 minutes | ||
| 10 | 40 sec | 20 sec |
| Total Workout Time - 35 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.