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 | Cardio |
| Day 3 | Cardio | Day 17 | Workout Two |
| Day 4 | Cardio | Day 18 | Cardio |
| Day 5 | Workout Two | Day 19 | Workout One |
| Day 6 | Cardio | Day 20 | Cardio |
| Day 7 | Rest | Day 21 | Rest |
| Day 8 | Workout One | Day 22 | Cardio |
| Day 9 | Cardio | Day 23 | Workout Two |
| Day 10 | Cardio | Day 24 | Cardio |
| Day 11 | Workout Two | Day 25 | Workout One |
| Day 12 | Cardio | Day 26 | Cardio |
| Day 13 | Workout One | 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 15 reps of each exercise back to back to complete a set. Perform 5 sets in total, rest for 2 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 | 15 |
| Sets | 5 |
| Rest between sets | 2 mins |
Before commencing your workout click here for technique advice on some of the big exercises.
CHEST PRESS — Swiss Ball / Dumbbell
Support your head and shoulders on a swiss ball and raise your hips. Hold a dumbbell in 1 hand and lower it towards the shoulder. As you exhale extend the arm above you and rotate your body bringing yourself up onto the opposite shoulder. Inhale as you lower.
AEROBIC / ROLLING JUMP
Stand with your feet hip width apart and jump as high as possible, as you land, bend your knees and take your weight onto your bottom. Roll backwards with the knees bent, as you uncurl use the momentum and push with the hands to stand up.
STIFF LEG DEAD LIFT — Dumbbells
Stand on 1 leg and hold a dumbbell in each hand. Place your weight into the heel as you hinge forward from the hip, bend the supporting leg slightly and lower the dumbbells towards the floor. Allow the free leg to move backwards. Only go to the point where you can maintain neutral spine, do not round the lower back. Straighten the leg as you stand upright.
PLANK — Bosu
Place your weight onto your forearms, toes on top of a bosu (dome side up) and raise the body. Engage your core, create a straight line through the body then alternately raise a leg. Make sure your elbows are underneath your shoulders, maintain neutral spine throughout.
LUNGE — Kettlebell
Hold the kettlebell in 1 hand and swing it backwards, simultaneously take the same leg back into a lunge. As the bell swings forwards to shoulder height step together, change hands and repeat the movement to the other side. Be aware of knocking the knees with the kettlebell.
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.
CRUNCH — Bosu
Lie with your back extended over a bosu (dome side up) and place your hands to your head. Curl up into a crunch, keeping a slight gap under the chin and simultaneously raise a knee towards your nose. Lower under control and alternate legs.
HAMSTRING CURL — Swiss Ball
Lie on your back with your legs straight, feet on a swiss ball and hips raised. Place your arms by your side for support. Turn your toes and knees outwards as you bend your legs and roll the ball towards you, do not allow the hips to lower. Extend the legs.
BURPEE — Box
Stand with your feet hip width apart. Jump onto the box landing in a squat position. As you jump off, place your hands onto the floor and jump your legs back into a plank position. Jump back to a squat to begin again. Keep the movement fluid and aim to maintain neutral spine throughout.
RESISTANCE WORKOUT TWO
Perform this workout with the same exercise concept as workout one.
LUNGE – Dumbbells
Begin feet together with 1 dumbbells held overhead and the other held at shoulder height. Step laterally into a side lunge with the opposite leg to extended arm. As you lower into the lunge bring the dumbbell to your shoulder. Keep your heels down, push the bottom back and allow the torso to hinge forward slightly from the hips. Step together and repeat to the same side
PRESS-UP — Bosu
Begin in a press-up position with 1 hand on a bosu (dome side up). Engage your core and keep your body straight. Perform a press-up, then step the hands laterally across the bosu so the opposite hand is on the top and repeat.
DEADLIFT — Kettlebell
Perform a kettlebell deadlift. Ensure you hinge from the hips and keep the back in neutral as you lift the bell, do not round the lower back. Place the bell onto the floor, walk out on your hands and lower into a plank position on your forearms. Push back onto your hands and walk them back to the feet.
STATIC JACK — Medicine Ball
Sit upright with your knees bent then lean the body backwards and raise the feet off the floor. Hold a medicine ball in both hands with the arms slightly bent and engage the core. Rotate the torso taking the ball side to side, keep the chest lifted and navel drawn to spine.
PULLOVER — Bench / Dumbbell
Lie on a flat bench and hold a dumbbell above you in both hands. With slight elbow flexion, lower the weight behind you, keep the arms lengthened and lower as far as possible without over aching the back. Engage your core throughout and bring the weight back over the body.
ROW — Cable
Perform a side plank and hold a cable at shoulder height in the free hand. Position the cable in line with the upper body and pull into a single arm row. Extend the arm and maintain the plank position throughout.
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. Jump and change legs, simultaneously moving laterally.
UPWARDS WOODCHOP — Cable
Kneel side on to the cable. Engage your core, keep your arms lengthened rotate the torso and raise the cable upwards in a smooth motion. Keep your shoulders down. Lower under control. Breathing: exhale on the raise / inhale on the lower.
AEROBIC / LUNGE JUMP
Begin with your feet shoulder width apart. Jump and land into a squat, push through the feet, use the momentum of the arms and jump into a lunge with the right foot forward and then the left. Keep the movement 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 |
| 12 | 35 sec | 25 sec |
| Lactic Acid Removal Phase - 12 minutes | ||
| 12 | 35 sec | 25 sec |
| Total Workout Time - 36 minutes 20 seconds | ||
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.