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.
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.
SHOULDER PRESS — 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. Press the weight overhead and begin the next swing.
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.
PIKE — Swiss Ball
Begin in a hand plank position with your feet balanced on a swiss ball. Engage your core, draw your knees to chest and roll the ball inwards. Extend the legs as the ball rolls outwards until the body is in a straight line. To make the exercise easier place the ball on the ankles or shins.
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 — 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.
CRUNCH – Swiss Ball
Lie with your back extended over a swiss ball and your hands placed onto opposite shoulders. 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.
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, do not allow the hips to lower. Extend the leg.
AEROBIC / BURPEE
Stand with your feet hip width apart and jump as high as possible. 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
Stand feet hip width apart and hold dumbbells to your side. Alternately lunge forwards 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 lower back. Keep the body in an upright position.
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.
BRIDGE
Lie on your back with your knees bent, arms to the side and 1 leg raised off the floor. Push through your supporting heel and lift your hips as high as possible (do not roll through the spine). Ensure to contract the glutes. Lower under control.
AEROBIC / PUNCHING DRILL — Dumbbells
Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and hold dumbbells at chest height with the arms bent. Alternately punch forwards as fast as possible. Keep the core engaged throughout.
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
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.
AEROBIC / SQUAT JUMP DRILL
Stand feet shoulder width apart. Squat and jump forwards, traveling as far forwards as possible. Take 2 smaller jumps backwards and repeat.
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.
AEROBIC / SQUAT JUMP
Begin in a plank position on your hands, jump your legs forwards into a deep squat and raise the arms raised in front of you. Place the hands to the floor and jump back to plank. Keep the movement fluid and 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 |
| 8 | 25 sec | 35 sec |
| Lactic Acid Removal Phase - 16 minutes | ||
| 8 | 25 sec | 35 sec |
| Total Workout Time - 32 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.