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
There are 9 exercises in your workout. Perform 15 reps of each exercise back to back to complete a set. Perform 5 sets in total, rest for 2 minutes in between sets. Record the length of time it takes to complete each set and aim to beat your best time in subsequent sets. Remember to keep the weights heavy and challenging to elicit the correct hormonal and metabolic response.
EXERCISE CONCEPT – TIMED
| Exercises in each set | 9 |
| Reps | 15 |
| Sets | 5 |
| Rest between sets | 2 mins |
Before commencing your workout click here for technique advice on some of the big exercises.
CHEST PRESS – Swiss Ball / Dumbbells
Support your head and shoulders on a swiss ball and raise your hips. 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.
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.
DEADLIFT — Dumbbells
Stand feet shoulder width apart and hold a dumbbell in each hand. 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 your glutes, push the feet into the ground and you straighten your legs.
PLANK
Lie on your side and place your weight onto your forearm with your shoulder directly over your elbow. Stack your feet, draw your navel to spine then continuously raise and lower the hips.
LUNGE — Dumbbells
Stand with your feet hip width apart and hold dumbbells in each hand. Lunge forwards keeping the body in an upright position, then take the same leg straight back behind you into a backwards lunge. Continue the movement.
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.
CRUNCH — Bosu
Lie with your back over a bosu (dome side up), hands to your head and 1 leg extended. Curl up into a crunch, keeping a slight gap under the chin and simultaneously raise the knee towards the nose. Lower the body as you extend the leg.
HAMSTRING CURL — Swiss Ball
Lie on your back with 1 foot on a swiss ball (leg extended) and the other raised above you. Lift your hips and place your arms by your side for support. Bend the knee as you roll the ball towards you. Lower the hips to the floor, immediately raise the hips then extend the leg.
AEROBIC / BURPEE
Stand with your feet hip width apart. Jump as high as possible and simultaneously turn 180 degrees. As you land, place your hands on the floor and jump your legs back into a plank position with your body extended. Jump your feet back towards your hands and begin again. Keep the movement as fluid as possible.
RESISTANCE WORKOUT TWO
Perform this workout with the same exercise concept as workout one.
LUNGE – Dumbbells
Begin feet together with 1 dumbbells held overhead and the other held at shoulder height. Step laterally into a side lunge with the opposite leg to extended arm. As you lower into the lunge bring the dumbbell to your shoulder. Keep your heels down, push the bottom back and allow the torso to hinge forward slightly from the hips. Step together and repeat to the same side.
PRESS-UP — Bosu
Begin in a press-up position with 1 hand on a bosu (dome side up). Engage your core and keep your body straight. Perform a press-up, then jump the hands laterally across the bosu so the opposite hand is on the top and repeat.
DEADLIFT — Dumbbell
Stand on 1 leg and hold a dumbbell in the opposite hand. Bent the supporting knee, hinge forward from the hip 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.
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.
PULLOVER — Swiss Ball / Dumbbell
Support your head and shoulders on a swiss ball, raise your hips and hold a dumbbell above you in both hands. 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.
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 / LUNGE JUMP — Weight
Stand with 1 foot forward in a lunge position and hold a plate in both hand. As you lower into the lunge rotate the weight across the front leg. Push through both feet and jump into a lunge on the other side and simultaneously rotate the weight to the opposite side.
CRUNCH — Wall / Swiss Ball / Dumbbell
Lie with your back extended over a swiss ball. Place your feet onto a wall with the knees bend and hold a dumbbell to your chest. Curl up into a crunch, keeping a slight gap under the chin and simultaneously tilt the pelvis under. Lower under control.
AEROBIC / ANKLE TOUCHES
Begin in a plank position on your hands. Lift your hips, keep your legs straight and reach a hand backwards to touch the opposite ankle. Return to the plank position and repeat to the other side.
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 | 30 sec | 20 sec |
| Lactic Acid Removal Phase - 18 minutes | ||
| 14 | 30 sec | 20 sec |
| Total Workout Time - 34 minutes 20 seconds | ||
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.