Summer is upon us. Many people out there are going all-out to get ready for the beach, competitions, or other major events in their lives. There are many ladies who are looking for a program that will help them get ready and stay ready.
I have good news and better news. The good news is that what follows is a five-day-a-week workout that will help you make the most out of the next six weeks, as long as you’re dedicated and consistent. The better news is that there are two programs. This one is for those of you that are going to the gym. Home gym heroes fear not. There is a home edition of this coming soon. Give this program a go for the next 6 weeks, and you will be pleased with the results that come.
About the Program
The workouts are broken down into specific functions and groups. The weekly schedule goes as follows:
- Day 1 – Upper Body Pull Day
- Day 2 – Lower Body Posterior Chain Day
- Day 3 – Off
- Day 4 – Upper Body Push Day
- Day 5 – Quadriceps and Calves
- Day 6 – Core and Tabata
- Day 7 – Off
Notice that the days are numbered. Between work, family commitments, and life in general, it would be hard to set up a traditional weekly plan. Don’t let a Monday through Sunday mindset affect you. Start this when you see fit and make the schedule work for you. If you need to plan an extra day off, take it. If you need to train three days in a row, do it. The only suggestion I have is to keep the day off after the posterior chain session. That one will be intense.
The Workout Principles
The plan for these workouts is to perform them in a circuit-style fashion. All of the exercises on that day’s schedule should be performed without rest until you complete the final one. You then get a short break. Take deep breaths, sip your amino acids or water, and be ready to get back to work. If you are unable to do the movements back-to-back because of equipment restrictions at the gym, perform 3 sets of each movement and keep rest times to 30 seconds in between sets.
No training session on this plan should take longer than 30 minutes. That means you can get in, get the job done, and get out. Don’t find more to do after you finish. Get out and focus on recovery.
Finally, there should be a goal for each workout. Try to get one more rep or five more pounds each time you train. The goal of training is to improve, right? So make the most out of these sessions and focus on improvement. If you’re eating and resting properly, then good things should happen over the next few weeks.
Cardio
There is a specific Tabata cardio workout that is scheduled for the last training day of the week. That is the four-minute workout that alternates 20 seconds of high-intensity work with 10 seconds of rest. That can be skipping rope, a cardio machine, hitting a heavy bag, cycling, or any other activity that you prefer. If you don’t know where to start, check out this 8 Minute Squat & Push Up Tabata Workout.
While the Tabata session will help, it should not be the only day you do cardio. 20-30 minutes of cardio first thing in the morning will go a long way in maximizing your potential. That can be steady-state cardio (like power walking) or High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) if you feel you can handle it. The only day you do not do this is on Day 7. Give yourself that day to completely rest and recover.
Nutrition
There are several nutrition programs to consider, and a wide variety of options are available right here on M&S. Regardless of what you choose to follow, there are three guidelines I suggest for this program:
- Whatever the program is you choose, be consistent. Don’t go back and forth from one to another. That won’t help your cause.
- Keep the protein high. Whether you want to go high carbs or carb-free, low-fat or high-fat, make sure that the protein is consistent. One gram per pound of body weight is sufficient.
- Stay hydrated. Water is a must. 12 tall glasses a day will serve you well. Here’s a bonus tip. Drink two of those glasses first thing in the morning before that cardio. Continue to drink a glass every 1-2 hours. Your last glass should be before or during your last meal of the day, which will hopefully allow you to sleep at night without having to go to the bathroom.
Summer Shape-Up Women’s Workout
Day 1 – Pull Day
This program is going to have an emphasis on machines because it is a gym-based routine. However, if you feel more free weight work would benefit you, switch up the choices here as needed. Just try to swap in movements that are similar to those you’re replacing. For example, perform preacher dumbbell curls instead of a machine version if you like.
Complete the following exercises back-to-back with no rest between exercises. This counts as one round. Rest 2 minutes between each round. Repeat 3 times.
| Exercise | Reps |
|---|---|
| Pull Ups or Assisted Pull Ups* | 12-15 |
| Reverse Grip Lat Pulldown | 12-15 |
| Seated Cable Row | 12-15 |
| Rear Delt Fly | 12-15 |
| Preacher Curl | 12-15 |
* If your gym doesn’t have an assisted pull up machine, you can opt for banded pull ups.
Day 2 – Lower Body/Posterior Chain Day
This workout starts with the lower back and gradually goes down the posterior chain. Training them in this order will allow you to recruit the maximum amount of fibers in the targeted area because the others will be pre-exhausted. The lower back and glutes won’t be able to assist as much during the hamstring work.
Complete the following exercises back-to-back with no rest between exercises. This counts as one round. Rest 2 minutes between each round. Repeat 3 times.
| Exercise | Reps |
|---|---|
| Low Back Extension | 12-15 |
| Glute Bridge | 12-15 |
| Stiff Leg Deadlift | 12-15 |
| Seated Leg Curl | 12-15 |
| Standing Lunge | 12-15 |
Day 4 – Push Day
The same premise for Day 2 applies on this day. We’re starting with an overhead press for the shoulders, hitting the side delts with lateral raises, then going after the chest. Triceps finish off this circuit. Focus on executing each rep with control. Never let momentum take over. If you’re unable to control the weight, reduce the load.
Complete the following exercises back-to-back with no rest between exercises. This counts as one round. Rest 2 minutes between each round. Repeat 3 times.
| Exercise | Reps |
|---|---|
| Seated Smith Machine Press | 12-15 |
| Lateral Raise | 12-15 |
| Incline Dumbbell Press | 12-15 |
| Cable Crossover | 12-15 |
| Rope Pushdown | 12-15 |
Day 5 – Quadriceps and Calves
The quadriceps are the primary target of this day, and since the lower body will already be working, you can go ahead and train the calves as well. Starting with an isolation movement like leg extensions provides an opportunity to feel the muscles working and prepare the knees for the other movements. If the gym you train in doesn’t have a standing calf machine, opt for doing calf raises on the leg press.
Complete the following exercises back-to-back with no rest between exercises. This counts as one round. Rest 2 minutes between each round. Repeat 3 times.
| Exercise | Reps |
|---|---|
| Leg Extension | 12-15 |
| Goblet Squat | 12-15 |
| Leg Press | 12-15 |
| Seated Calf Raise | 12-15 |
| Standing Calf Raise | 12-15 |
Day 6 – Core and Tabata Cardio
Don’t take this day lightly. Many people don’t achieve great abdominal development because they don’t attack the exercises like they do others. Don’t focus on going heavier. Instead, get a quality contraction with each repetition.
As for the Tabata session, you should be exhausted by the time you finish. If you don’t need at least a couple of minutes to catch your breath, go harder next time.
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hanging Leg Raise | 3 | 15 | – |
| Cable Rope Crunch | 3 | 15 | – |
| Bicycles | 3 | 15 | – |
| Plank | 3 | 1 min | 1 min |
| Tabata Cardio | 8 | 20 sec | 10 sec |
