BODY-TYPE EXERCISE / INFO
You are a Mesomorph on a sculpt programme. Fortunately your body-type does not tend to store fat and it finds maintaining muscle relatively easy due to having a good mix of both slow and fast twitch muscle fibre, with the majority being fast twitch. This makes the job of sculpting fairly easy and having the ability to maintain a relatively low fat percentage will help to show muscle definition. You may have heard that performing high rep ranges and lifting light weights is the correct way to achieve definition. At YBP we believe this is the wrong approach, we focus on lifting the correct weight for your specific rep range to define and maintain muscle.
Your exercise plan will be an even mix of resistance and cardio workouts. The type of movement performed in your resistance workouts will be a combination of compound and isolation exercises. The compound exercises are big movements and help in creating the correct hormonal response (boosting growth hormone and testosterone). The isolation exercises will create muscle definition. Your cardio will be in the form of high intensity interval training to help 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 more than one consecutive day off.
At YBP we have researched and created the perfect ratio of resistance and cardio workouts for your body-type on a sculpting 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 | Workout Two | Day 20 | Workout One |
| Day 7 | Rest | Day 21 | Rest |
| Day 8 | Cardio | Day 22 | Cardio |
| Day 9 | Workout One | Day 23 | Workout Two |
| Day 10 | Workout Two | Day 24 | Workout One |
| Day 11 | Rest | Day 25 | Rest |
| Day 12 | Cardio | Day 26 | Cardio |
| Day 13 | Workout One | 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 has a descending rep range. You will perform 2 exercises back to back with 12 reps of each exercise, followed immediately by the same 2 exercises with 10 reps, followed immediately with the same 2 exercises with 8 reps. This completes a set. Rest for 3 minutes then repeat the same set again. Rest for 3 minutes then move to the next block of 2 exercises. Remember to keep the weights heavy and challenging to elicit the correct hormonal and metabolic response.
EXERCISE CONCEPT – DESCENDING
| Exercises in each set | 2 |
| Reps | 12 / 10 / 8 |
| Blocks of exercises | 4 (repeat each block twice) |
| Total sets | 8 |
| Rest between sets | 3 mins |
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 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.
LUNGE — Bench / Dumbbells
Stand on 1 leg with the opposite foot placed onto a bench behind you with the knee flexed. Hold dumbbells to your side. Bend the supporting leg and lower the body, keeping the torso upright. Maintain ankle and knee alignment. Extend the supporting leg.
Block Two
LEG PRESS — Machine
Place your feet shoulder width apart on a leg press machine and engage your core. Ensure the feet are in parallel and push through the heels to extend the legs, your knees should track in a straight line. Do not lock the knees. Lower with control.
SHOULDER PRESS — Barbell
Stand in a staggered stance. Using the opposite arm to front leg, hold one end of a barbell onto your shoulder and place the other end on the floor, wedged against a stable structure. Extend the arm and press the bar away from you.
Block Three
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.
SHOULDER PRESS — Barbell
Stand with your feet hip width apart. Hold a barbell in front of you with your hands placed slightly wider than shoulder width. Begin with the arms bent and bar at shoulder height. Extend the bar overhead maintaining neutral spine. Bend the arms and lower under control.
Block Four
TRICEP OVERHEAD EXTENSION — Bench / Barbell
Lie on a flat bench and hold a barbell above you with your hands shoulder width apart. Keep your upper arm in a fixed position as you lower the bar behind your head, the elbows should not move or flare to the side. Extend the arms as you raise the bar upwards.
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 and engage your core as you lower the legs. Maintain neutral spine and lower the legs as far as possible with slight knee flexion. Raise the legs.
RESISTANCE WORKOUT TWO
Perform this workout with the same exercise concept as workout one.
Block One
ROW — Dumbbells
Begin in a plank position with your hands placed onto dumbbells and arms extended. Engage your core to maintain stability and alternately pull into a single arm row. Make sure your wrists are placed directly under your shoulders and do not rotate the hips.
HAMSTRING CURL — Machine
Sit upright on a hamstring curl machine and engage your core. Press downward with both legs and bend the knees. Ensure to flex the knees as much as possible.
Block Two
LAT PULL – Cable
Kneel on 1 knee and hold high cables in both hands. Pull both elbows into your side and hold the contraction. Alternately extend the arms, drawing the elbows back into your body keeping the chest lifted throughout the exercise.
UPRIGHT ROW — Barbell
Stand and hold a barbell in front of you with a narrow overhand grip. Raise the bar up to your chest leading the movement with your elbows, keep the shoulder pressing down as much as possible. Lower the bar.
Block Three
STRAIGHT ARM PULL DOWN — Cable
Stand facing a high cable and hold a straight bar attachment with both hands. Begin with the arms extended and the bar pressed down to your thighs with the chest lifted. Raise the bar overhead and simultaneously hinge from the hips and bring the body forward maintaining neutral spine. Engage your glutes and stand upright as the you press the bar to your thighs.
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.
Block Four
BICEP CURL — Barbell
Stand feet hip width apart. Hold a barbell shoulder width apart with an underhand grip. Begin with your arms extended towards the floor then bend the elbows and bring the bar towards your shoulder. Do not use momentum of the body to raise the weight. Lower the bar.
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.
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 |
| 8 | 30 sec | 30 sec |
| Lactic Acid Removal Phase - 25 minutes | ||
| 8 | 30 sec | 30 sec |
| Total Workout Time - 41 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.