EXERCISE / BODY-TYPE INFO
You are a Mesomorph on a fat loss programme. Fortunately your body-type can lose fat easily as well as maintain muscle, due to having a good mix of both slow and fast twitch muscle fibre, with the majority being fast twitch. Therefore the focus for your body-type on a fat loss goal is split evenly into two components.
Firstly, resistance training helps to maintain muscle tissue, which keeps your metabolism firing and this in turn helps you to lose fat. The more muscle you have, the more fat you burn. Secondly, cardio work in the form of high intensity interval training helps to increase mitochondria (where fuel is burnt producing energy). The more mitochondria you have, the more fat you burn. High intensity training will also have the effect of increasing your metabolism, which results in burning more calories over the next 24-36 hours. This is why it is important to keep up the frequency of your training sessions, so try not to have than more than one consecutive day off.
The type of movement you will be performing on a fat loss programme will consist of compound exercises. These are big movements which use lots of muscles at once therefore burning more calories, speeding up your metabolism and creating the correct hormonal response (boosting growth hormone and testosterone) We also keep the tempo and intensity of your workout higher and the rest periods shorter than any other goal, for the same reasons as previously mentioned.
At YBP we have researched and created the perfect ratio of resistance and cardio workouts for your body-type on a fat loss goal. We have specified how often to perform these workouts to get the best results. Every month the training concept will change (the concept is the way in which you perform your workouts). Within your concept we have tailored and specified the exact sets, rep ranges, duration, tempo, rest and intensity.
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
This concept is called 20/10. It is a type of high intensity interval training. Perform 3 exercises at high intensity for 20 seconds each, with a 10 seconds rest between each exercises. This round is repeated 4 times without stopping. This completes a set. Your programme consists of 4 sets. Rest for 3 minutes in between each set. Remember to keep the weights heavy and challenging to elicit the correct hormonal and metabolic response.
EXERCISE CONCEPT – 20/10
| Exercises in each set | 3 | Duration of exercise | 20 sec | Rest between exercise | 10 sec | Rounds | 4 | Sets | 4 | Rest between sets | 3 min |
Before commencing your workout click here for technique advice on some of the big exercises.
Round One
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. Press the heels into the floor as you extend the legs. Make sure your knees track inline with your toes.
BACK EXTENSION
Lie face down on the floor with your arms by your side, palms up. Engage your core and raise your upper and lower body off the floor. Simultaneously turn your palms down and draw your shoulder blades down and together. Keep the head in line with the spine. Hold the position.
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.
Round Two
AEROBIC / SPRINTS
Spring from foot to foot on the spot. Do not raise the knees high, instead make the movement as small and fast as possible. Lean the body forward slightly and use the arms in a running action.
SWING — Kettlebell
Stand feet slightly wider than shoulder width and hold a kettlebell in 1 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 up to shoulder height, do not lift with the arm. Keep the core engaged.
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.
Round Three
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. Push through both feet, jump and land in the same position, continue.
ROW – Band
Stand in a slight squat position with your shoulders retracted, arms extended and hold the band at chest height. Pull the band towards you with your elbows slightly raised. Draw your shoulder blades down and together then extend the arms.
PLANK
Place your weight onto your forearms and toes, raise the body. Engage your core and create a straight line from head to feet. Alternately push up onto your hands and lower back onto your forearms. As you push up the hands should replace to position of the elbows.
Round Four
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.
PLANK – Kettle Bells
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.
SHOULDER PRESS — Kettlebell
Stand with a wide stance and hold a kettlebell in 1 hand at shoulder height. Perform a deep squat and as you extend the legs, press the bell overhead. Do not over arch the lower back and keep the chest open as you lower the bell.
RESISTANCE WORKOUT TWO
Perform this workout with the same exercise concept as workout one.
Round One
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.
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.
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.
Round Two
CRUNCH – Swiss Ball / Dumbbell
Lie with your back extended over a swiss ball 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. The further back over the ball the harder the exercise.
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. Bend your arms bringing the hands towards the shoulders with your elbows flared to the side. Simultaneously lower and raise the hips.
LUNGE – Dumbbells
Stand with your feet together and dumbbells in each hand, held to the shoulders. Step laterally into a side lunge, keep the heels down, push the bottom back and allow the torso to hinge forwards slightly from the hips. Step together and repeat to the same side.
Round Three
ROW — Dumbbell
Begin in a long lunge position with the back leg extended, and hold a dumbbell in the opposite hand to front leg. Lean your torso forwards creating a straight line from head to toe. Bend the elbow and pull into a row. Keep the elbow close to the body then extend the arm.
SHOULDER PRESS – Dumbbells
Stand feet hip width apart and hold dumbbells to your shoulders with the palms facing forward. Perform a deep squat and as you extend the legs press 1 arm diagonally upwards across the body. Allow the body to rotate taking your weight to the opposite leg. Come back to neutral as you squat and then repeat to the same side.
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.
Round Four
LUNGE – Dumbbells
Stand feet hip width apart and hold dumbbells in both hands. Alternately step one foot backwards into a long lunge position keeping the back knee extended as much as possible. Allow the torso the lean forward slightly over the front leg and maintain ankle and knee alignment.
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.
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.
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 |
| 14 | 35 sec | 25 sec |
| Lactic Acid Removal Phase - 20 minutes | ||
| 14 | 35 sec | 25 sec |
| Total Workout Time - 48 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.