Workouts

Keep in mind that transforming your life and shaping your body takes hard work, patience, dedication, determination and discipline. There is no magical pill, potion or gadget that will strip away body fat without breaking a sweat! If it were easy, everyone would be in fantastic shape. But if you commit for the long-term and stay consistent with your healthy eating and exercise, you WILL reach your goals!


WORKOUT TIPS:

• Try to get in at least 30 minutes of exercise 6 days a week.
• This challenge is built around weight lifting. You’re welcome to incorporate other forms of exercise as well though!
• One day shall be a rest day, taken off completely from exercise (though I recommend staying active in your normal, daily tasks).
• Do a form of cardio you enjoy for 20-45 minutes in addition to your weight training. (Try to split your cardio from your lift but if you can’t, do cardio after weight training). Your cardio doesn’t necessarily require a gym.. jog, walk, treadmill, stairmaster, bike, aerobics, zumba, dance, whatever you enjoy!
• Get your weight training done whenever you have time during the day (MAKE time if you don’t already have it).
• ALWAYS carry a change of workout clothes in your car, so you have no excuse not to go to the gym after work or between classes!
• Don’t skip a workout just because you don’t think you need to train that particular body part (Unless of course you have a medical reason not to).
• Find a training partner if you find that motivating!
• Keep a journal and write down how much weight you used for each exercise and how you felt afterward. Journaling your progress is very important!
• HAVE FUN!! This is about health and getting fit! It’s not supposed to be a punishment, so enjoy it! =)

SAFETY TIPS/OTHER INFO:

• Always check with a doctor before proceeding with any exercise or diet program!
• Always warm up properly before each workout.
• Use proper form to avoid injury. You should feel a burn in your muscle, but never a pain in your joints.
• Breathe properly and keep your core tight during all movements.
• If you do not know how to do a particular exercise, refer to this website for explanations and examples: (http://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/)
• Try not to take excessively long rest periods between sets.
• Stay hydrated throughout your workout with water. (I don’t recommend super sugary drinks like gatorade).
• When the muscle begins to burn, do an additional 2-3 reps. (if I say 12 reps, it should be burning by about rep 19).
• Go as heavy as you can while maintaining proper form (remember, we don’t want an injury). You will be lifting a different weight for a lot of exercises. For example, you will be able to squat more than you can curl. CHALLENGE yourself with heavier weights!

***REMEMBER LADIES:: Lifting weights will NOT make you bulky or manly. Women do not have the levels of testosterone necessary to bulk up the way men do, so do not worry about lifting heavy!!! Female bodybuilders use steroids, you do not.. so don’t stress. It takes a SERIOUS lifestyle commitment to “bulk up”. Huge muscles do NOT happen by accident and they do not come easily. Think about how difficult it is to achieve “tone” (which comes from MUSCLE) and you will realize that BIG muscles are extremely difficult to achieve.

Lingo:

• “Superset” – two exercises performed back to back with no rest in between
• “Dropset” – after the set, immediately drop the weight and perform another set with the same amount of reps (or more if you can.. the point is to burn-out the muscle)

SCHEDULE:

• Monday – Chest (no cardio)
• Tuesday – Back + cardio
• Wednesday – Cardio
• Thursday – Shoulders + cardio
• Friday – Rest Day
• Saturday – Legs (no cardio)
• Sunday – Arms + cardio

LEG DAY:

• Warm-up: 10 Minutes on the Stairmaster + 2-3 Light Weight Warm up Sets of Squats
• 4×10 Barbell Squats
• 4×10 (each leg) Smith Machine Lunges
• 4×12 Leg Press
• 3×12 Romanian Deadlifts *Superset* with Sumo Squats 3×12
• 3×12 Leg Extensions *Superset* with 3×10 Hamstring Curls
• 4×30 Weighted Calf Raises

SHOULDER DAY:

• Warm Up: 10 Minutes on Elliptical or Treadmill + 2-3 Light Weight Warm up Sets of DB Presses
• Shoulder Press 4×12
• 4×12 Upright Barbell Row
• 3×12 Side Lateral Raise
• 4×10 Reverse PecDec Flies
• 3×12 Front raise with dumbbells
• 3×15 Bent Over Rear Lateral Raises
• 3 Sets 30 Seconds Kettle Bell Swings

BACK DAY:

• Warm Up: 10 Minutes on Treadmill or Elliptical + 2-3 Light Weight Warm Up Sets of Deadlifts
• 4×10 Deadlifts
• 3×12 Wide Grip Lat Pulldowns
• 4×10 Bent Over Barbell Rows
• 3×12 Narrow Reverse Grip Pulldowns
• 4×10 Seated Cable Rows
• 3×12 (each arm) One Arm Dumbbell Row
• 3×15 Hyperextensions (slow and controlled)

ARM DAY:

• Warm Up: 10 Minutes Cardio Machine of Choice + 2-3 Light Weight Warm Up Sets of Curls
• 4×12 Standing Barbell Curl
• 4×12 Rope Tricep Push-Downs
• 3×12 Alternating Dumbbell Curls *Superset* 3×12 Tricep Dumbbell Kickbacks
• 4×12 Hammer Curls *Superset* 4×12 Skull Crushers

CHEST DAY:

• Warm Up: 10 Minutes Cardio Machine of Choice + 2-3 Light Weight Warm Up Sets of Presses
• 4×12 Flat Bench Press w/ Dumbbells
• 3×10 Pec Dec Flies
• 4×12 Incline Dumbbell Press
• 3×15 Cable Cross Overs
• 4×10 Incline Dumbbell Flies
• 4 Sets of as many push ups as you can do

ABS:
You can incorporate ab training 1-3 times per week depending on your preference. I personally train abs once a week. Keep in mind that “havings abs” comes from a clean diet, not hundreds of crunches! You will not be able to see your abs if you have a layer of fat covering them. There is no abdominal exercise that can wittle away body fat directly! In order to reveal your ab muscles, you must lower your OVERALL body fat percentage through consistent clean eating and exercise! Click here for my killer ab workout!
Push yourself and work hard. You are in control of how much effort you put into this. You will get out of it what you put in! Be safe, and have fun! =)
Don’t have access to a gym? You can do Plyometric/Bodyweight workouts!

• Monday – Lower Bodyweight Workout
• Tuesday – Cardio
• Wednesday – Upper Bodyweight Workout + Cardio
• Thursday – Rest
• Friday – Lower Bodyweight Workout
• Saturday – Cardio
• Sunday – Upper Bodyweight Workout

Lower Bodyweight Workout

• Warm Up – jog 10-20 minutes
• 10 jump squats
• 10 narrow stance squats
• 10 wide stance squats
• 10 walking lunges (each leg)
• 10 bench step ups (each leg)
• As many mountain climbers as you can do for 1 minute
• As many calf raises as you can do for 1 minute
• Repeat this circuit 10 rounds (if you can do more, GO FOR IT!!!)

No rest between exercises, only rest 2 minutes between rounds.. try to keep moving during those 2 minutes (jog in place, do jumping jacks, high knees, butt-kicks, just keep your heart rate up!)

Upper Bodyweight Workout

• Warm Up – jog 10-20 minutes
• As many pull ups as you can do
• As many jumping jacks as you can for one minute
• 15 push ups
• As many burpees as you can for one minute
• Repeat this circuit 10 rounds (if you can do more, GO FOR IT!!!)

No rest between exercises, only rest 1 minute between rounds.. try to keep moving during those 2 minutes (jog in place, do jumping jacks, high knees, butt-kicks, just keep your heart rate up!)
Super Simple HIIT Workout!

• 5 minute warm up, easy/moderate pace
• 30 seconds of all out effort
• 1-2 minutes of low intensity recovery (easy/moderate pace)
• Repeat this sprint/recovery cycle 6-8 times
• 5 minute cool down, easy/moderate pace

You can do this on ANY machine at the gym, or even just at your local track or park! ENJOY =)



**DISCLAIMER** I am NOT a dietician, counselor, personal trainer, doctor, or any other healthcare related professional. I do not mind giving advice or suggestions, but please keep in mind that I have NOT been trained in these fields. If you ask me a question I will answer it to the best of my ability. Please note! It is solely your decision to participate in the Muffin Top-Less Summer Transformation Challenge. Make sure you check with a doctor before proceeding with any diet or exercise program.