8 Weeks Left to Prepare for Swimsuit Season, Your Next Workout is Here
Here it is…Your workout PLAN for the next two weeks to get you ready for summer. This is Part 2 of our series 10 Week Workout Routine to have YOU Looking like a 10 this Summer, but don’t worry if you missed Part 1, just CLICK THIS LINK to start your 10-week workout today!
During weeks 1 and 2 you built your strength training base by allowing your muscles to ease into your new workout program, and you strengthened your core with stabilization training. You also built your musculoskeletal and endurance base doing interval training to burn extra calories.
Now it’s time to step it up by challenging your body with circuit training and extended duration cardio for weeks 3 and 4.
THE PLAN
WEEKs 3 & 4
THE WORKOUT – Increase the number of calories burned and promote muscle development with Circuit Training – 3 to 5 days per week.
Alternate between the following two workouts to hit all of your muscles groups over the course of the next two weeks.
TIP 1: Circuit training involves you going from one muscle group to the next with little or no rest until all exercises in the circuit are complete. This maximizes your calorie burning potential. You will rest after completing the circuit.
TIP 2: Choose machines and equipment that are close to each other, and have a backup exercise ready, or just skip to the next muscle group and come back to the exercise you missed before completing the circuit. For example, if your circuit is ab crunches, the shoulder press machine, and the leg press machine; you would do the shoulder press immediately following your set of ab crunches. If however, the shoulder press machine is not available, then go directly to the leg press machine and do the shoulder press after that. If the shoulder press is still unavailable, then do another shoulder exercise that you are familiar with. DO NOT WAIT FOR EQUIPMENT is the bottom line.
DAY 1 – THE CIRCUIT – Do each of the following exercises back-to-back without resting.
Bicycle Crunch – Do for 1 minute or as many reps as you can do until your muscles fatigue.
Lateral Raise or Shoulder Press – Pick a weight that you can do 8 – 12 times.
Standing Body Squat – Do for 1 minute or as many reps as you can do until your muscles fatigue.
Plank – Hold for 1 minute.
After completing each exercise in the circuit rest for 3 minutes and do it again until you have completed the circuit 4 times.
DAY 2 – THE CIRCUIT – Do each of the following exercises back-to-back without resting.
Dumbbell Row or Lat Pulldown – Pick a weight that you can do 8 – 12 times.
Chest press or Chest Fly – Pick a weight that you can do 8 – 12 times.
Bicep Machine or Dumbbell Curl – Pick a weight that you can do 8 – 12 times.
Triceps Overhead Extension or Triceps Pushdown – Pick a weight that you can do 8 – 12 times.
After completing each exercise in the circuit rest for 3 minutes and do it again until you have completed the circuit 4 times.
THE CARDIO – Sustained Tempo Endurance Training – 30 to 35 minutes – 3 to 5 times per week.
Get the same piece of cardio that you were doing your interval training on during the past two weeks, and choose a level/speed that you can sustain for at least thirty minutes without stopping. Remember, cardio is your best tool for burning calories and reducing body fat, so don’t skip it!
THE DIET and NUTRITION – You have been tracking all your food, drinks and calories right? If not, you’re doing yourself and your goal a huge disservice. For those of you who have been diligent about keeping a food log, it is time to check for accuracy and completeness. Have you HONESTLY been logging EVERYTHING, and are you sure that your calorie counts are ACCURATE? The more accurate you are, the better your results are going to be. Your diet and nutrition are the primary factors that are going to help you lose weight. Now that you have gotten the hang of tracking your food, consider weighing and measuring your food to take your diet efforts to the next level. CLICK HERE for more information about the benefits of WEIGHING and MEASURING your food, so you can weigh less!
The MORE you WORKOUT, the MORE you will see RESULTS. So challenge yourself to get into your LA Fitness five days-a-week as you prepare for swimsuit season!
Don’t forget to come back again in two weeks to get Part 3 – WEEKS 4 and 5 – of your 10 Week Workout Routine to have YOU Looking like a 10 this Summer!
For more great TOP TIPS be sure to come back every week and follow LIVING HEALTHY. To learn how CLICK HERE.
Cut Down on Television and Cut Down Your Weight – 7 Things You Can Do
Have you ever wondered how many more calories you could be burning if you actually did something productive instead of watching television? You may be pleasantly surprised at how many calories you can burn making your home and your body look amazing at the same time! But don’t use you these activities as a substitute for your weight and cardio workouts, instead use them as a way to compliment your weight loss efforts while you enjoy beautifying your home.
All of the following activities are based on a 150 pound person performing each activity a duration of 60 minutes at a moderate (as opposed to vigorous) intensity[i]. (more…)