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 One |
| Day 2 | Cardio | Day 16 | Cardio |
| Day 3 | Workout Two | Day 17 | Workout Two |
| Day 4 | Rest | Day 18 | Rest |
| Day 5 | Cardio | Day 19 | Cardio |
| Day 6 | Workout One | Day 20 | Workout One |
| Day 7 | Rest | Day 21 | Rest |
| Day 8 | Workout Two | Day 22 | Workout Two |
| Day 9 | Cardio | Day 23 | Cardio |
| Day 10 | Workout One | Day 24 | Workout One |
| Day 11 | Rest | Day 25 | Rest |
| Day 12 | Cardio | Day 26 | Cardio |
| Day 13 | Workout Two | Day 27 | Workout Two | 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 Super Set Three. It consists of 3 blocks of 3 exercises. Perform 10 reps of the first 3 exercises, this completes a set. Rest for 1.30 min. Once you have completed 5 sets, move to the next block of 3 exercises. Remember to keep the weights heavy and challenging to elicit the correct hormonal and metabolic response.
EXERCISE CONCEPT – SUPER SET THREE
| Exercises in each set | 3 |
| Reps | 10 |
| Sets | 5 |
| Rest between sets | 1.30 min |
Before commencing your workout click here for technique advice on some of the big exercises.
Block One
CHEST PRESS — Bench / Barbell
Lie on an incline bench (small incline) with your arms fully extended and the barbell pressed up in a vertical line. Lower the barbell to your chest by bending your elbows, allowing them to flare out to the sides. When the barbell touches your chest press it back to full extension.
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 the arms out to the side until they are in line with the shoulders. Exhale as you raise the dumbbells. Use your core to stabilise the body.
TRICEP DIPS — Bench / Box
Place your hands hip width apart on a bench behind you and raise your feet onto a box. With your elbows in line with your hands, inhale and lower the body keeping your torso close to the bench. Exhale and extend your arms.
Block Two
SQUAT — Barbell
Stand feet shoulder width apart and hold a barbell to your shoulders in front of you. Raise your elbows slightly so the bar can rest on your collar bone. Bend the knees into a squat, push the bottom backwards and maintain neutral spine. Press the heels into the floor and extend the legs.
LUNGE — Dumbbells
Stand feet hip width apart and hold dumbbells to your side. Alternately lunge backwards until the back knee is just off the floor and both knees are at right angles. Keep the pelvis slightly tucked under so you do not over arch the back. Keep the body in an upright position.
TRICEP OVERHEAD EXTENSION — Bench / Weight
Lie on a flat bench. Hold a weight with both hands and extend the arms above you at an angle slightly past 90 degrees. Flex the elbows and lower the weight behind the head. Keep the upper arms in a fixed position, the elbows should not move or flare to the side. Extend the arms.
Block Three
SHOULDER PRESS — Dumbbells
Stand feet hip width apart and hold dumbbells with palms facing forward and arms bent at 90 degree angles. Extend the weights overhead without over arching the back. Lower to 90 degrees and bring your forearms together in front of you. Open the arms and chest.
FRONT DELT RAISE — Dumbbells
Stand with your feet hip width apart. Hold a dumbbell in each hand and alternately raise them in front of you to shoulder height with slight elbow flexion. Lower under control.
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.
RESISTANCE WORKOUT TWO
Perform this workout with the same exercise concept as workout one.
Block One
ROW — Barbell / Triangle
Wedge 1 end of a barbell against a stable surface and place a weight on the other end. Use a triangle attachment to hold the bar and stand with your feet placed either side. Hinge at the hips with slight knee flexion and bring the torso forwards maintaining neutral spine. Pull into a row position, elbows close to the body. Extend the arms.
LAT PULL-DOWN — Machine
Sit on the lat pull down machine with a wide overhand grip. Retract the shoulders, lean the torso backwards an inch and pull the bar towards your breastbone. Keep the chest lifted and core engaged. Raise the bar with control maintaining an open position across the chest.
BICEP CURL — Bench / Dumbbells
Sit on an incline bench and hold a dumbbell in each hand. Begin with the arms extended towards to floor, and as you bend the arms maintain the positions of the elbows, keeping them slightly behind the line of the body. Bring the weights to the shoulders then lower under control.
Block Two
STIFF LEG DEAD LIFT — Barbell
Stand holding a barbell with feet hip width apart. Place your weight into your heels, hinge forward from the hip with slight knee flexion and lower the bar 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.
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.
BICEP CURL — Swiss Ball / Dumbbells
Kneel and lean over a swiss ball. Begin with your arms extended over the ball. Maintain neutral spine and engage your core. Flex your elbows and raise the dumbbells towards your shoulder. Lower with control.
Block Three
BACK EXTENSION — Bench
Lie over a back extension bench and place your fingertips to your head. Engage your core, hinge from the hips and lower the body towards the floor maintaining neutral spine, do not round the back. Engage your glutes and raise the torso in line with the body.
PLANK – Barbell
Kneel and hold onto a barbell in front of you with your arms extended and hips forward. Engage your core and roll the bar forward. Extend the arms as far forward as possible maintaining neutral spine. Draw the bar back to the starting position.
HORIZONTAL WOODCHOP — Dumbbell
Stand with feet apart and hold a dumbbell in both hands at chest height with the arms extended. Engage your core, keep your arms lengthened and rotate the torso in a smooth motion from side to 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.
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 |
| 4 | 30 sec | 30 sec |
| Lactic Acid Removal Phase - 26 minutes | ||
| 4 | 30 sec | 30 sec |
| Total Workout Time - 34 minutes | ||
CARDIO EQUIPMENT
This video shows examples of cardio equipment to use when perform your interval training.
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.