In January, we introduced the first part of a 12-week program designed to get you in shape for spring, but by now you’ve probably realized that it’s good for a lot more than merely building muscle and burning fat.
Our goal wasn’t just beach muscles but balance between all the components that help you look, feel, and perform optimally. I.E., the exercises we chose should be helping to reduce your aches and pains from old injuries and muscle imbalances while improving your conditioning and overall strength, in addition to helping you cut out a sharp set of abs and pumping up your trophy muscles.
Part 2 of the plan builds on the gains you made in Part 1 (and if you missed it last month, get started HERE). You should find that your range of motion in certain movements is greater and comes more easily.
You’ll continue with the same format: supersets of heavy strength exercises that maximize muscle growth, followed by conditioning circuits that burn off calories and improve your endurance. Each week, the way in which you perform the workouts will vary slightly, so be sure to see the “Notes” sections at the bottom of each workout for additional directions.
Check back here in March for the final four-week phase of the program. If you’ve been following the 12-week diet plan we offered to accompany the training, see the second part of that series HERE.
12-Week Fat Loss Workout Plan
Workout A
Mobility Warmup
Perform 5 reps of each exercise (on each side, where appropriate) in sequence. Repeat the series for 3 total rounds.
A. Lateral Neck Tilt
Stand tall with feet shoulder-width apart and place your hands on your belly to draw awareness to any movement in your torso. Brace your core and draw your shoulder blades back and down as you tilt your head to one side. Move it gently but try to touch your ear to your shoulder—without letting your head move forward, back, or twist in any direction. Repeat on the opposite side. Keep your shoulders down.
B. Alternating Backstroke
Extend one arm toward the floor and raise the other overhead. Keeping both elbows locked, begin rotating your shoulders backward as if performing a backstroke in water. Keep your core engaged and avoid rocking or twisting your torso.
C. Lateral Spinal Glide
Stand tall and bend your elbows, placing one palm over the back of the other hand in front of your chest. Keeping your core engaged, move your torso to one side as if it were sliding straight across the floor—don’t bend it; your elbows should stay level with the floor. Go as far as you can in each direction without losing alignment.
D.Lateral Hip Root
Stand with feet between hip and shoulder-width apart and tilt your pelvis backward. Keeping a “proud chest,” drive your hips back to one side, allowing your knees to bend as needed. Bend as far as you can, reaching your arms out straight for balance. Squeeze your glutes and tuck your pelvis back under as you come back to standing and repeat on the other side.
E. Tootsie Roll
Bend your hips back and place your hands on your knees. Keeping a long spine, bend your knees outward and roll on the outside edges of your feet as you make a big circle. Draw your knees close together to complete the circle, rolling onto the balls of your feet and then the inside edges. Each full circle is one rep.
Strength Superset
Complete one set of 1A and then 1B before resting. Perform for the prescribed number of rounds (see “Notes” at the bottom) and then repeat the process for 2A and 2B.
1A. Incline Dumbbell Fly
Reps: 8
Set an adjustable bench to a 30- to 45-degree angle and lie back on it with a dumbbell in each hand. Turn your wrists so your palms face each other. Press the weights straight over your chest and then, keeping a slight bend in your elbows, spread your arms open as if you were going for a big bear hug. Lower your arms until you feel a stretch in your pecs and then bring the weights back together over your chest.
1B. Dumbbell or Kettlebell Hang Squat to Toes
Reps: 15
Hold dumbbells at your sides and stand with feet shoulder-width apart. Twist your feet firmly into the floor so your toes turn out a bit and sit down as if lowering into a chair. Push your knees apart as you descend and keep your torso as vertical as possible. Go down until your hands are below your knees and then come back up. Raise your heels off the floor (perform a calf raise) at the top.
2A. Incline One-Arm Dumbbell Press
Reps: 8 (each side)
Set up a bench as you did for the incline fly and lie back against it with a dumbbell in one hand at shoulder level. Brace your core and press the weight overhead—don’t allow your torso to twist off the bench to any degree.
2B. Staggered One-Arm Dumbbell or Kettlebell Row
Reps: 8 (each side)
Grasp a kettlebell in one hand and stagger your feet so the toes on your trailing foot line up with the heel of the lead one. Tilt your pelvis backward and bend your hips back to draw your torso down to where it’s almost parallel to the floor. Brace your core and, keeping your shoulders square to the floor, row the weight until your upper arm is in line with your side.
Conditioning Circuit
Perform the following exercises back to back for the prescribed amount of time or number of rounds (see “Notes” below). Do not rest in between exercises; work at your own pace.
1A. Speed Squat
Reps: 20
Set up as you did for the squat to toes but without dumbbells. Drop down as if sitting in a low chair, spreading your knees apart as you descend. Go as low as you feel comfortable while keeping a long spine from your head to your pelvis—your head, back, and hips should form a straight line and your torso should be very vertical. Your knees should line up with your big toes. Drive through the middle of your feet to stand back up. Perform the movement as quickly as possible, throwing your arms forward to generate momentum as you stand and backward to help you descend.
1B. Mountain Climber
Reps: 10 (each side)
Get into pushup position and draw your right knee up to the outside of your elbow, pulling the leg inward while driving the arm out so they touch each other firmly. Drive it back and bring the other knee up. Alternate in a steady rhythm (each knee drive is one rep). Keep your core engaged and resist any rotation at the shoulders or hips. Fight to keep your “proud chest” position—try not to let your upper back round forward excessively.
1C. Ice Skater
Reps: 10 (each side)
Stand on one leg and bound laterally a few feet to land on the opposite leg. Allow the leg you pushed off to swing behind the landing leg so it looks like an ice skater moving forward. Immediately bound back to land on the starting foot.
Decompression
Perform each exercise for 60 seconds (30 seconds per side where appropriate), and repeat for 3 total rounds.
A. Chest Opener w/ Neck Roll
Stand tall with feet between hip and shoulder-width apart. Reach behind your back and clasp your hands together. Roll your shoulders back to push your chest out. Retract your neck (think of making a double-chin) and stand as straight as possible. From there, with shoulders drawn down, roll your neck once in each direction. That’s one rep.
B. Angled Child’s Pose
Kneel on the floor and reach your arms out in front of you. Walk your hands to your right side and feel the stretch on your left side. Now rotate your left shoulder toward the floor to increase the stretch.
C. Sleeping Pigeon
Sit on the floor in a shin box position—bend both knees so that your front leg’s heel touches your trailing leg’s knee. From there, extend your rear leg directly behind you and rotate the leg so that the top of the knee and foot are in contact with the ground. Keep a long spine and feel the stretch in your hip.
D. Three-Legged Dog
Get on all fours and drive your palms into the floor to push your hips backward and into the air. Extend your knees so your heels come off the floor, and then extend one leg behind you until it’s in line with your head and spine. Hold the position while actively driving the hands into the floor.
Workout A Notes
Week 1
Perform 3 rounds of each strength superset, resting 90 seconds between rounds. For the conditioning circuit, do as many rounds as possible in 10 minutes.
Week 2
Perform 3 rounds of each strength superset, resting 60 seconds between rounds. For the conditioning circuit, do as many rounds as possible in 8 minutes and record your number.
Week 3
Perform 4 rounds of each strength superset, resting 90 seconds between rounds. For the conditioning circuit, do as many rounds as possible in 15 minutes.
Week 4
Perform 4 rounds of each strength superset, resting 60 seconds between rounds. For the conditioning circuit, do as many rounds as possible in 8 minutes and record your number—try to beat your performance in Week 2.
Workout B
Mobility Warmup
Repeat the warmup from Workout A.
Strength Superset
Complete one set of 1A and then 1B before resting. Perform for the prescribed number of rounds (see “Notes” at the bottom) and then repeat the process for 2A and 2B.
1A. Dumbbell or Kettlebell Push Press
Reps: 15
Hold dumbbells at shoulder level and stand tall with feet between hip and shoulder-width apart. Your forearms should point straight to the ceiling. Brace your core and keep your torso vertical as you quickly dip your knees. Use the momentum to help you press the weights overhead to lockout.
1B. Dumbbell or Kettlebell Reverse Lunge
Reps: 10 (each side)
Hold a dumbbell in each hand and step back, lowering your body until your rear knee nearly touches the floor. Keep your torso vertical.
2A. Hanging Knee Tuck
Reps: Perform as many as possible in 30 seconds
Hang from a chinup bar with hands shoulder-width apart. Bend your hips and knees 90 degrees, and raise your knees up to your chest, rounding your lower back and fully contracting your abs.
2B. Dumbbell or Kettlebell Rack Squat
Reps: 10
Perform a squat as described above but with dumbbells held in the rack position—at shoulder level with elbows pointing forward.
Conditioning Circuit
Perform the following exercises back to back for the prescribed amount of time or number of rounds (see “Notes” below). Do not rest in between exercises; work at your own pace.
1A. Cossack Squat
Reps: 10 (each side)
Stand with feet outside shoulder width and toes turned out about 45 degrees. Squat down to one side so your trailing leg extends and toes point up. Go down as far as you can on the working leg while keeping a long spine and “proud chest”.
1B. Twist and Sit–Knee
Reps: 10 (each side)
Kneel down on the floor and place your hands down in front of you beneath your shoulders. Raise your right knee off the floor and turn your hips to the left, kicking your right leg straight out. Allow your shoulders to turn as needed and balance on your right arm. Lower your hips until the side of your butt touches the floor.
1C. Burpee
Reps: 10
Stand with feet shoulder width and squat down to place your hands on the floor. Now shoot your legs behind you fast so you end up in the top position of a pushup. Jump your legs back up so they land between your hands and then stand up quickly.
Decompression
Repeat the cool down from Workout A.
Workout B Notes
Week 1
Perform 3 rounds of each strength superset, resting 90 seconds between rounds. For the conditioning circuit, do as many rounds as possible in 10 minutes.
Week 2
Perform 3 rounds of each strength superset, resting 60 seconds between rounds. For the conditioning circuit, do 5 rounds as fast as possible and record your time.
Week 3
Perform 4 rounds of each strength superset, resting 90 seconds between rounds. For the conditioning circuit, do as many rounds as possible in 15 minutes.
Week 4
Perform 4 rounds of each strength superset, resting 60 seconds between rounds. For the conditioning circuit, do 5 rounds as fast as possible and record your time—try to beat your performance in Week 2.
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