We have all done it. We mark our calendars for that special occasion with every intention to exercise, only to find that days turn into weeks and suddenly there is barely a month till the big day. A situation like this calls for one of my 30-day “boot camp” approaches to training. With this particular training routine, I’ve created an upper- and lower-body workout to help build and tone muscles with a circuit thrown in each week to really intensify the fat burning. Add a few days of your own cardio to the mix and you’ll be turning heads at your special occasion in no time.
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Exercise Descriptions
Seated DB shoulder press
Set: Sitting on a 90-degree angle bench, hold two dumbbells palms facing forward at shoulder level.
Go: Push dumbbells straight up, punching toward the sky. Lower slowly to start position and repeat.
Skull-crushers
Set: Lie on a flat bench with a weighted bar in your hands, arms straight and perpendicular to the ground.
Go: Bend at the elbows only and slowly lower the bar toward your forehead. Push the bar back to starting position, squeezing the triceps.
Narrow-grip bench press
Set: Lie on flat bench with a weighted straight bar in your hands. Place hands about 4-5 inches apart.
Go: Lower the bar toward your chest, bending at the elbows and keeping your elbows as close to your body as possible. Push up in a punching motion back to starting position.
DB lateral raise
Set: Seated or standing. Hold a dumbbell in each hand with palms facing you. Keep your elbows slightly bent throughout the movement. It’s important to keep your chest up and shoulders back.
Go: Raise the dumbbells to shoulder height using your delt muscles. Slowly lower and repeat.
Cable chest flyes
Set: Using both sides of a cable machine, set the handles at the appropriate level and adjust the weight. Grasp both handles and lean slightly forward, standing in the center of the machine.
Go: Keeping elbows slightly bent, pull both handles using your chest muscles until your hands meet in the middle. Control the weight back to start position and repeat.
Rear delt cable flyes
Set: Using both sides of the cable machine, set handles at the appropriate level and adjust the weight. Grasp both handles so that your hands cross over in front of you.
Go: Pull the handles apart using your rear delts. Slowly return to the start and repeat.
Wide-grip lat pulldown
Set: Using a wide-angles bar for the pulldown machine, grasp the bar in a wide grip. Sitting or standing.
Go: Pull the bar down to your upper chest using your lats. Be sure to keep a slight arch in your back but don’t lean back.
Reverse-grip pulldown
Set: Using a straight bar on the pulldown machine, sitting or standing, grasp the bar underhand grip about shoulder-width apart.
Go: Pull the bar down to your upper chest using your lats. Be sure to keep a slight arch in your back but don’t lean back.
Alternating DB curls
Set: Sitting or standing, hold a dumbbell in each hand. Keep your chest out and shoulders back throughout this exercise.
Go: Curl your right arm up, squeezing at the bicep. Slowly lower and repeat with the left.
Bicycle crunches
Set: Lie on the floor (you may want to use an exercise mat for comfort). Place your hands flat on the ground under your butt or next to your butt.
Go: Raise legs and alternate them in a bicycling movement.
Basic crunches
Set: Lie on the floor, knees bent and feet flat on the ground. Keep hands behind the head or crossed at the chest.
Go: Crunch up raising your head/chin to the sky.
Leg extensions
Set: Using a leg-extension machine, set the bar so that it rests at your ankles.
Go: Keeping your toes pointed, raise the bar while squeezing your quads. Lower slowly to start position.
Single-leg BB squat on bench
Set: Using a weighted straight bar and a flat bench, place the bar on your shoulders and grasp the bar firmly. Stand with one leg on the ground and the other on a bench (or step).
Go: Squat down, keeping your back straight and chest up. Stick your butt back to keep balance and stop your knees from extending forward too far. Return to start position. Repeat on other leg.
Walking BB lunges
Set: Using a weighted straight bar, place the bar on your shoulders and grasp bar firmly.
Go: Lunge one leg forward, allowing the back leg to almost skim the floor. Be sure to take wide steps.
Narrow-stance leg press
Set: Using the leg press machine, sit with your feet about 1-2 inches apart on the machine.
Go: Lower the machine and press using your heels to push.
Stiff-legged deadlift
Set: Using a weighted straight bar or dumbbells, hold the weight in front of you. Stand with your feet about 4-5 inches apart and your knees slightly bent.
Go: Bending at the waist, keep your back straight and lower the bar toward the ground. Use your glutes to pull your body back up to start position. You should feel a good stretch in your hamstrings.
Sumo BB squat
Set: Using a weighted straight bar, place it on your shoulders and grasp the bar firmly. Stand with your feet wide and toes pointing out.
Go: Squat down, allowing your knees to point outward. Keep your back straight and chest out throughout the movement. Push with your heels to start position.
Seated leg curl
Set: Using a seated leg curl machine, set the machine so that your legs rest on top of the bar at your ankles. Adjust the bar so that your legs are held against the seat.
Go: Using your hamstrings, curl the bar down toward the ground. Repeat.
Standing calf raise
Set: Using a standing calf machine or a ledge, stand on the ledge at the balls of your feet and adjust the weight for your height and strength level. If you’re standing on a ledge, try holding a dumbbell in your hand.
Go: Extend your foot all the way and all the way down, slowly.
Seated calf raise
Set: Using a seated calf raise machine, adjust the weight. Sit with the machine resting on your legs just above your knees. With the balls of your feet on the platform, raise the bar and unhook from the safety latch.
Go: Slowly lower and extend your calves.
Wide-stance squat to DB shoulder press
Set: Holding a dumbbell in each hand, rest at shoulder height facing forward. Stand with legs wide apart and toes slightly pointing out.
Go: Squat down. On the ascent push the dumbbells up in a shoulder press. Lower the dumbbells and lower back in to the squat. Repeat.
DB lateral raises with alternating lunges
Set: Hold a dumbbell in each hand with palms facing inward.
Go: Lunge forward; at the bottom of the lunge raise the dumbbells to shoulder height; lower and lunge forward with opposite leg. Repeat.
Stiff-legged deadlift with BB row
Set: Using a weighted straight bar, grasp the bar just wider than shoulder-width apart. Stand with feet about 4-5 inches apart and legs slightly bent.
Go: Lower the bar from the waist toward the ground. When you reach the bottom position, pull the bar toward your abdomen. Lower the bar and use your glutes to pull you back to standing position. Repeat.
Glute bridge with DB chest press
Set: Lie on floor, holding a dumbbell in each hand at the chest. Keep your feet flat on the ground and knees bent.
Go: Raise your glutes toward the sky while squeezing, lower and press the dumbbells up into a chest press. Lower and repeat.
Bench dips with bench tucks
Set: Using the edge of a bench, place your hands firmly on the edge.
Go: Move your butt from the bench and lower toward the ground, using your triceps to push yourself back up. Sit on the edge of the bench and pull your knees in toward your chest.
BB twenty-ones
Set: Standing, hold a weighted barbell about shoulder-width apart in front of you. Stand with your back straight, chest out and abs tight.
Go: Curl the bar about 1/2 of the way up, then curl from the middle to the top, then curl the entire range of motion for 7 reps each.
Decline push-ups with stability ball ab tuck
Set: Using a large stability ball, place your hands on the ground in push-up stance and feet on top of the ball.
Go: Perform push-up, then using your abs roll the ball in toward your chest. Your body will form an upside V. Return to start position and repeat.
MORE JAMIE EASON MIDDLETON
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