Weeks 1-6
Warm up – Fast walk or jog for 5 to 10 minutes followed by a series of dynamic stretches and mobility exercises. Do this before every workout, Mon-Fri (same every day).
Dynamic stretching– Arm circles 20 in each direction, Arm swings 20, Side bends 20 on each side, Lying scorpions 10 per leg, 10 Deep lunges, High knees across the gym floor, “Butt- kicks” across the gym floor, Straight legs across the gym floor. More can be added to this.
Cool down– Light to moderate cardio for 5-10 minutes to help remove lactic acid build-up followed by static stretches. Do this after every workout.
Static stretching– is to be done after the workout because research has shown that static stretching reduces strength if done before the workout and has tremendous recovery and flexibility benefits if done following the workout. For each day do static stretching for the muscle group that was worked. For example, on leg day focus on leg stretches, and on chest, day focus on chest stretches. Only stretch to a point of mild to moderate discomfort and hold it for 15 to 20 seconds.
Cardio- After the resistance training sessions on Mon, Wed, and Fri. – Do 25-30 minutes of moderate-intensity cardio. Examples include jogging, biking, elliptical, stationary bike, and treadmill. Heart rate should be around 60-75 percent of max. High-intensity cardio on Tuesdays and Thursdays combined with plyometrics.
Training Program: Monday – Chest, Shoulders, Triceps, abs
- Barbell Bench Press 4 sets 6-8 reps
- Incline Dumbell Press 3 sets 6-8 reps
- Barbell Military Press 4 sets 6-8 reps
- Barbell Upright Row 3 sets 6-8 reps
- Lying Triceps Extensions 4 sets 6-8 reps
- Cable Triceps Press down 3 sets 8-12 reps
- Weighted crunches 3 sets 15-20 reps
- Hanging knee raises 3 sets 15-20 reps
- Twisting medicine ball crunch 3 sets 15-20 reps
- Plank holds 3 sets 45-60 sec
*25-30 minutes of cardio
