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 | Workout One | Day 15 | Workout Two |
| Day 2 | Cardio | Day 16 | Cardio |
| Day 3 | Workout Two | Day 17 | Workout One |
| Day 4 | Rest | Day 18 | Rest |
| Day 5 | Workout One | Day 19 | Workout Two |
| Day 6 | Cardio | Day 20 | Cardio |
| Day 7 | Rest | Day 21 | Rest |
| Day 8 | Cardio | Day 22 | Cardio |
| Day 9 | Workout Two | Day 23 | Workout One |
| Day 10 | Cardio | Day 24 | Cardio |
| Day 11 | Rest | Day 25 | Rest |
| Day 12 | Workout One | Day 26 | Workout two |
| Day 13 | Cardio | 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 12 reps of each exercise back to back to complete a set. Perform 4 sets in total, rest for 2.5 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 | 12 |
| Sets | 4 |
| Rest between sets | 2.5 mins |
Before commencing your workout click here for technique advice on some of the big exercises.
STEP-UP – Box / Dumbbells
Stand holding dumbbells to your side, with 1 foot placed onto a high box or bench. Step up, push through your heel and straighten the leg. Do not push off with the underneath leg. Lower under control maintaining neutral spine.
PRESS-UP
Begin in a press-up position, hands just wider than shoulder width and arms extended. Bend the arms, elbows flared to the side slightly and lower yourself until your chest is just off the floor. As you extend the arms take 1 hand to touch the opposite shoulder maintaining core stability. Repeat other side.
DEADLIFT — Kettlebell
Stand feet shoulder width apart with a kettlebell placed between the feet. Bend the knees, maintain neutral spine and perform a deadlift. Place the kettlebell back onto the ground, hands onto the floor in front of you and jump the legs back into a plank position. Jump in and repeat.
SQUAT — Kettlebell
Stand feet wide, toes turned out slightly and hold a Kettlebell with both hands. With the arms extended to the floor, bend the knees pressing them outwards into a sumo squat. Extend the legs and raise the kettlebell up to your chest with your elbows raised.
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.
ROW — Bench / Dumbbell
Place 1 hand on a bench and hold a dumbbell in the other. Take the legs back into a plank position so the body is in a straight line from head to toe. Use your core to maintain stability. Begin with the arm extended towards the floor then bend the elbow and pull into a row. Keep the elbow close to the body and extend the arm.
LUNGE — Dumbbells
Stand on 1 leg and hold dumbbells to your shoulders. Step laterally into a side lunge. Keep your heels down, push the bottom back and allow the torso to hinge forwards slightly from the hips. Push back to a single leg balance.
LATERAL FLEXION — Dumbbell
Stand feet shoulder width apart and hold a dumbbell in one hand. Laterally flex the body, lowering the dumbbell towards the floor, then pull over to the opposite side keeping your core engaged and shoulders retracted.
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.
RESISTANCE WORKOUT TWO
Perform this workout with the same exercise concept as workout one.
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.
BACK EXTENSION — Wall / Swiss Ball
Lie forward with your pelvis over a swiss ball with your feet locked against a wall for support. Place your fingertips to your head and engage your core. Contract the glutes and raise your back creating a straight line through the body.
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. Inhale as you bend the arms bringing the hands towards the shoulders with your elbows flared to the side and exhale as you extend.
HAMSTRING CURL — Swiss Ball
Lie on your back with your knees bent, feet on a swiss ball and arms by your side. Raise your hips then extend the legs rolling the ball away. Bend the knees and draw your feet towards your bottom, rolling the ball towards you. Lower the hips to the floor.
PLANK — Swiss Ball / Bosu
Begin in a plank position with your elbows on a swiss ball and feet on a bosu (dome side up). Engage your core, maintain neutral spine and move the forearms to create circles with the ball. Repeat in the opposite direction.
PRESS-UP
Begin in a press-up position, hands just wider than shoulder width and arms extended. Bend the arms, elbows flared to the side slightly and lower yourself until your chest is just off the floor. As you extend the arms rotate the body and raise 1 hand to the sky. Repeat other side.
SWING — Kettlebell
Stand feet slightly wider than shoulder width and hold a kettlebell in both hands. Squat and swing the bell through the legs maintaining neutral spine, do not round the lower back. Allow the momentum to lift the bell up to shoulder height, do not lift with the arms. Keep the core engaged.
OBLIQUE CRUNCH – Swiss Ball / Dumbbell
Lie with your back over a swiss ball and hold a weight to your chest. Draw your navel to spine as you curl up and rotate. Lower under control then curl and rotate to the same side. The further back over the ball the harder the exercise.
AEROBIC / SQUAT JUMP
Begin standing with your feet together, jump and land in a wide squat with the feet and knees turned out slightly. Jump back together, keep the movement continuous.
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 | 30 sec |
| Lactic Acid Removal Phase - 18 minutes | ||
| 12 | 30 sec | 30 sec |
| Total Workout Time - 42 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.