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 | Cardio | Day 15 | Cardio |
| Day 2 | Workout One | Day 16 | Workout One |
| Day 3 | Cardio | Day 17 | Cardio |
| Day 4 | Workout Two | Day 18 | Workout Two |
| Day 5 | Cardio | Day 19 | Cardio |
| Day 6 | Workout One | Day 20 | Workout One |
| Day 7 | Rest | Day 21 | Rest |
| Day 8 | Cardio | Day 22 | Cardio |
| Day 9 | Workout Two | Day 23 | Workout Two |
| Day 10 | Cardio | Day 24 | Cardio |
| Day 11 | Workout One | Day 25 | Workout One |
| 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 20/10. It is a type of high intensity interval training. Perform 2 exercises at high intensity for 20 seconds each, with a 10 seconds rest between each exercises. This round is repeated 6 times without stopping. This completes a set. Your programme consists of 5 sets. Rest for 2.5 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 | 2 | Duration of exercise | 20 sec | Rest between exercise | 10 sec | Rounds | 6 | Sets | 5 | Rest between sets | 2.5 min |
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.
PRESS-UP — Dumbbells
Begin in a press-up position, hands on dumbbells placed just wider than shoulder width and angled inwards slightly. Engage your core and keep your body straight. Bend the arms, elbows flared to the side slightly and lower as far as possible maintaining your position. Extend the arms.
Set Two
SQUAT — Dumbbells
Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and dumbbells in each hand, held to the shoulders. Squat and push through the feet into a high jump, land back into a squat position and continue the movement.
CRUNCH
Lie on your back with your hands to head. Curl up into a crunch, keep a slight gap under the chin and simultaneously bring your knees to nose. Lower the body as you extend the legs towards the floor.
Set Three
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.
SWING — 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 up to shoulder height, do not lift with the arms. Keep the core engaged.
Set Four
OBLIQUES – Swiss Ball / Dumbbell
Begin with your head and shoulders on a swiss ball and hold a dumbbell overhead in both hands. Keep the arms extended as you lower the dumbbell to one side allowing the body to rotate with it. Draw it back to centre and repeat to the other side.
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.
Set Five
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 / PLANK
Begin in a plank position on your forearms and toes, draw your navel to spine and create a straight line through the body. Make sure your elbows are beneath your shoulders and maintain neutral spine. Jump the legs apart and together.
RESISTANCE WORKOUT TWO
Perform this workout with the same exercise concept as workout one.
Set One
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 other side.
ROW — Block / Dumbbell
Perform a plank on 1 hand (placed onto a block) and hold a dumbbell in the other. Engage your core to maintain stability and pull into a single arm row. Make sure your wrist is placed directly under your shoulder and do not rotate the hips.
Set Two
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. As you straighten the legs, press the dumbbells overhead. Make sure your knees track inline with your toes.
PRESS-UP
Begin in a press-up position, hands just wider than shoulder width and arms extended. As you bend the arms, raise your right knee and place it on top of your right elbow. Turn your head to the same direction. Extend the arms as you place feet together and repeat with the left.
Set Three
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. Lower the body.
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.
Set Four
JACKS
Sit upright, maintain neutral spine and raise the legs with the knees bent. Lean the body backwards slightly and lift the chest. With the arms extended in front of you, lower the torso to the floor and extend the legs until they are in inch off the floor. Return to the starting position, shoulder back, chest lifted.
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.
Set Five
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.
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.
CARDIO WORKOUT
The cardio workout is split into 3 sections: Pre-Intervals, the lactic acid removal phase and Post-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 then take a look at the videos below and choose a combination of cardio exercises to perform.
Pre-Intervals – 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. When using a treadmill you may actually jump off the machine during the rest phase as it takes too long to slow down, therefore your rest phase may be a complete rest.
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.
Post-Intervals – perform the intervals again with the same format as the first section. Enjoy!
CARDIO CONCEPT
| Number of Intervals | Sprints | Rest |
| 10 | 20 sec | 40 sec |
| Lactic Acid Removal Phase - 14 minutes | ||
| 10 | 20 sec | 40 sec |
| Total Workout Time - 34 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.