A tight, toned, and amazing beach body is only 8-10 weeks away.

Let’s cut to the chase – it’s April 9th, which means if you’ve been procrastinating on ”getting in shape for summer”, you’ve got only a couple of short months before the weather heats up and the clothes start coming off.

Or maybe you’ve been waiting for something to come along to help shift your training into a higher gear?

No matter where you’re starting from, what we’ve got for you today is a sure-fire way to help you build shapely, toned limbs, a tighter core, and a strong body from head to toe.  Since we’re moving into crunch mode, this workout plan is going to focus heavily on fat burn, quickly fatiguing your muscles, and improving your conditioning.  Sticking with these workouts over the next several months should do wonders for your body and get you ready to sport those board shorts or that bikini with pride.

What is “Your Best Beach Body”?

There’s certainly going to be a lot of variation here, but in general, what does this mean to you?  Strong legs?  Tight butt?  Toned arms?  Flat stomach?  Sounds about right to me.

Of course, your starting point is going to dictate exactly how much progress you make by the time it’s beach/pool season, but don’t let that discourage you.  Whatever your starting point may be, expect to be absolutely amazed by the progress you make on this workout plan.  Keep in mind, this workout plan was designed to deliver fast and steady results IF you manage to stay consistent, don’t miss training days, and continually push yourself and your workouts outside a zone of comfort.

Why This Workout will Work

The reason so many total body plans or “bikini body” plans fail, is because they simply place to large a focus on the cardiovascular aspect of your training. Workouts are traditionally total body days – meaning you’re working out the majority of your muscles in one training sessions. The problem is, you aren’t hitting these muscle groups hard enough to bring about the real change described above.

If you really want strong, curvy legs, and a pair of arms that don’t jiggle when you walk, it’s time to take a more focused approach with your training.  This workout plan is designed to be a split-schedule routine, which means you’re splitting up body parts on different days.  By splitting body parts up, you’ll be in a better position to really blast those muscles, making sure you’re fatiguing things enough on the cellular level to promote growth.

The one constant however, will be cardio.  Most days have a cardiovascular element which will tie in with the strength work you’ve been doing.  Working out in this format should help you make some fast gains, but most importantly, consistent gains.  The onus however, is on you to continue to challenge yourself.  You simply cannot carry on with the same weights/cardio intensity the entire time you’re on this plan.  Make it a personal goal to challenge yourself; bumping the weights and intensity of your cardio every week.  Doesn’t matter if you’re only increasing ever so slightly – the point is you’re increasing, which means you’re improving…whether you can see it right now, or not.

The “Look”

I know exactly what you guys are looking for.  I understand the “look”.  The “look” is simply a body with a low fat percentage and muscle in the right places, giving it an athletic appearance.  This isn’t necessarily difficult to achieve, although it does take effort on your part, both in the gym and out.  In order to build a lean, athletic physique, you’re going to have to build some muscle.  You aren’t building muscle starving yourself every day.  You also aren’t building muscle making a mid-day lettuce and balsamic vinegar salad your biggest meal of the day.

For men and women alike, one of the hardest things to let go of, is the idea that increasing caloric intake will cause fat gain.   Let go of this, forget about it, it’s not important.  If you’re training in a way this workout plan requires, your caloric needs are going to increase.  If you’re training to build muscle, your caloric needs are going to increase.  Know this; understand it.  You’ve got to fuel yourself appropriately while you’re training like this – it’s the only way you’re going to make real progress.  Grill up those chicken breasts ahead of time, make a pot of vegetarian chili, do whatever you have to do to make sure you’re getting enough protein AND calories.  Remember, muscle doesn’t establish itself out of thin air.  Your body needs to have a steady supply of the building blocks necessary to form lean muscle mass – so make sure you’re giving your body what it needs to help you grow!

I also want you to completely, 100%, forget about the scale while your on this workout plan.  Simply take measurements of your waistline, arms, and legs.  Do it once, write it down, and forget about it.  While your weight may not fluctuate much over the course of the next 8 to 12 weeks, your physique is no doubt about to get a complete makeover.  Your weight isn’t important – how you look and feel is the true indicator of your health.

Your Best Beach Body Workout

Day 1 - Today is all about pushing your muscles to the max.  We’re targeting your “pull” muscles today, i.e. back and biceps.  We’re also using the advanced training technique of reverse pyramid sets, so be sure to watch out for them.  When you come across an exercise using a decreasing rep format, be sure to increase the weight roughly 10-20% on each subsequent set.  By this token, your last set of 8 reps will be using the heaviest weight – your first set of 12 reps will be the lightest.  The pull ups at the end of today’s workout are KEY.  We’re going to completely fatigue your back and bicep muscles with this complex exercise.  If you need to use assistance, go for it, just make sure to gradually reduce the assistance as you progress.

• Lat Pulldowns 3 sets of 12/10/8
• Single Arm Barbell Row 3 sets of 8 (go HEAVY here – you want to nearly reach failure on sets 2/3)
• Close Grip Pulldowns  3 sets of 12/10/8
• Plate Curls 3 sets of 8 (go HEAVY!!)
• Dumbbell Pullovers 3 sets of 8 (you should get the idea by now)
• Plank Rows 4 sets of 8
• Farmer Walks 5 sets of 60 seconds (hold heavy dumbbells in both hands and walk in a straight line across the room and back)
• Wide Grip Pull Ups 80 repetitions in as few sets as possible.

Day 2 – Today is going to focus on hitting your “push” muscles, i.e. chest, shoulders, triceps.  On any strength training day, make sure your giving your muscles a little squeeze at peak contraction.  Put all of your energy into moving the weight, while focusing on your form and being in tune with your muscle contractions.  Making real muscle progress is more than just picking up and putting down a weight.  Feel the muscle move the weight, and work out with a clear goal of making that muscle stronger and more defined.  Take this mindset into today’s workout.

• Dumbbell Bench Press 5 sets of 8 (heavy again here, lets start today’s workout STRONG!)
• Incline Bench Press 3 sets of 12/10/8
• Flat Dumbbell Flys 3 sets of 10
• Around the Worlds 3 sets of 12
• Hang Snatch 3 sets of 10
• Over/Under Barbell Shoulder Press 3 sets of 10
• Skullcrushers 3 sets of 12/10/8
• Underhand Tricep Press down 3 sets of 15 (might want to go a little lighter here)
• 80 Push Ups in as few sets as possible (go from your knees when/if you need to)

Day 3 – Today is all about blasting some fat with a HIIT cardio routine + tightening that core with some ab work.  Go HARD on the sprints, and take deep, slow breaths on the jog/relaxed portions so you’re ready to go when it’s time to sprint again.  On the ab work, make sure you’re starting out with heavy weights on the first two exercises to really get yourself fatigued – then going slow and controlled on the body weight core work.

• 10 minutes outdoor or treadmill running (30 second sprint/30 second jog)
• 15 Breakdowns/10 Kick Outs/5 Mule Kicks/rest 30 seconds repeated 5 times total
• Decline Plate Crunch 3 sets of 15-20 (holding a plate, crunch up, twist back and forth at the top, then return to start position)
• Cable Crunch 5 sets of 15-20
• Bicycle Crunches 3 sets of 15-20
• Cross Body Crunches 3 sets of 15-20
• 10 minutes outdoor or treadmill running (30 second sprint/30 second jog)

Day 4 – Today we’re putting a major focus on continuing to keep your metabolism high and your fat burning engine rolling.  We’re getting on the bike OR row machine (your choice) for 45 minutes of HIIT cycling/rowing.  Shoot for splits of :45/1:15 as you tear through body fat and further tax your major muscle systems.

• 45 minutes HIIT cycling or rowing (:45/1:15 split)

Day 5 – Prepare for some serious soreness later in the week, we’re going after your legs hard today.  Today’s workout may look short, but trust me, it’s intense.  We’re using primarily compound exercises to achieve our goals of building lean muscle in your butt, hamstrings, and quads.  When a strength workout like this is combined with explosive plyometrics and HIIT cardio (as you’ve been doing above) the results are simply astounding.

• Barbell (or smith machine) Squats 5 sets of 8-10
• Deadlifts 3 sets of 10-12
• Quad Extension Machine 3 sets of 12/10/8
• Seated Leg Press Machine 3 sets of 8-10
• Lying Hamstring Curls 3 sets of 12/10/8
• Calf Raises w/weight 3 sets of 15-20 (use a smith machine and stack with weight)
• Cable Crunch 3 sets of 20
• Up/Down Planks 3 sets of 50
• Cross Body Crunches 5 sets of 15-20

Day 6 - We’re wrapping up this 6 day workout split with some long sprinting, which is in contrast to the shorter sprints we did on day 3.  Today, we’re looking to sprint (or run as fast as physically possible) 800 meters (1/4 mile).  The next 800 meters will be completed at a relaxed jog.  The following 800 meters will be ran at a sprint or near sprint….you get the idea.  Repeat this 800m(fast)/800m(slow) cycle 10 times for five miles of HIIT Long Sprints.  If you can’t handle that distance right now, start with something more achievable and work your way up.

• 800m fast/ 800m jog repeated 10 times total.

Final Points

You asked for something intense, you got something intense.  This six-day beach body makeover workout is designed to help you trim fat fast, build lean muscle, and completely change your physique in short order.  As always, continue to push yourself to lift heavier weights, run faster times, and generally improve your athleticism.  After all, if you want to look like a conditioned athlete, you’re going to have to start acting like one.

Remember to fuel yourself accordingly, and please, for the love of God, don’t be afraid of food.  Without food, all of your efforts in the gym are wasted.  Don’t waste your efforts – capitalize on them.

Stick with this routine for 8-10 weeks solid, and you’ll no doubt be closer to that beach body you’ve been dreaming about all winter long.  Any questions, comments, or just need some help with this workout?  Feel free to leave a comment below and I’ll be happy to get back to you.

The best total body exercise is…

To fully maximize the benefits of today’s article, I suggest you go back and do a little required reading.  Last month we highlighted the single best total body exercise and received more than just a little response from you guys.  The recurring theme was; awesome article but not enough practical info – give us a full workout using this exercise!

So I heeded this advice and went to work on a full workout centered around the wonderful, fabulous, kettlebell swing.  If you aren’t sure why many consider this the ultimate total body exercise, I kindly suggest you check the link above and read up on why the kettlebell swing can help you do everything from burn that stubborn belly fat to help improve your posture.  It really is a killer total body exercise that will work wonders for you if you consistently make it a part of your full routine.

To help you include this movement into your total fitness plan, whatever it may be, I put together the workout you’ll see below.  After several rounds of trial and error, I think we’ve got something that is very effective at pushing the muscles in both your upper and lower body, while maintaining a quick enough pace to really push your cardiovascular system.  The end result?  A killer workout that will help shred you up, improve your endurance, AND may even help increase your flexibility.  Sound too good to be true?  It’s not.  Did you really expect any less from the best total body exercise?

Three Key Elements…

This workout has two, potentially three, key elements.  First, and perhaps most obviously, we’ve got the strength side of things.  Kettlebell swings are a great way to target your lower and upper body with a functionally dependent movement.  By utilizing a variety of different weights, we’re going to really throw a curve ball at your body here and leave you feeling the (good) soreness for days.

As anyone who has tried kettlebell swings is aware, the “up and down” nature of the movement can really tax your cardiovascular system.  The fast pace and quick intervals will help keep the pressure on your heart rate, ensuring it stays elevated and helping you burn serious calories.

Of course this total body exercise in and of itself could be fashioned into a pretty killer workout.  But you guys wanted a real-deal, legit, total body transformation workout, so I took things one step further.  Instead of solely relying on kettlebell swings, we’re going to incorporate some quick plyometric movements.  While playing around with this workout, it was clear the combination of explosive plyometrics and kettlebell swings was brutal; a trail of sniffling, crying, and down right exhausted guinea pigs were left in its wake.

The Best Total Body Exercise…..The Best Total Body Workout

Proper form is vital with the kettlebell swing.

Doing 3 sets of 10-12 reps of kettlebell swings is all well and good, but we REALLY want to unlock the full benefits of this total body exercise.  For this reason, we’ve developed an entire workout surrounding this exercise.  The great part is, you only need a little bit of a room, a few different kettlebells of varying weight, and a healthy dose of mental toughness.  If you’re without kettlebells, a dumbbell turned lengthwise could be a good substitute…..or if you really want to get creative, you could always try our homemade water jug “kettlebell”.

How it Works: You’re going to alternate between combo 1 and combo 2 for 20 minutes (use a timer or be mindful of the clock).  Once you’ve finished this half, you’ll move on to combo 3 and combo 4 for the final 20 minutes.  That means 40 minutes of near non-stop work – if you’re not ready for that kind of challenge, feel free to scale things back to something more appropriate.  Do your best to only rest where indicated – this is important because maintaining an elevated heart rate is the key to maximizing your fat burning potential.

Combo 1 – Using lightest kettlebell.  Move to combo 2 after completing combo 1…

• 15 kettlebell swings/5 burpees/15 kettlebell swings/rest 30 seconds, followed by
• 12 kettlebell swings/5 tuck jumps/12 kettlbell swings/rest 30 seconds

Combo 2 – Using lightest kettlebell.  Back to combo 1 after completing combo 2…

• 15 kettlebell swings/5 hindu push ups/15 kettbell swings
• 12 kettlebell swings/8 mule kicks/12 kettlebell swings

Cycle between combo 1 and 2 for 20 minutes.  If the indicated 30 second rest breaks are too long for you, more power to you – cut them down and complete more total combos.

Combo 3 – Use middle weighted kettlebell.

• 10 kettlebell swings/10 jumping jacks/10 kettlebell swings/rest 30 seconds, followed by
• 8 kettlebell swings/5 Russian lunges/8 kettlebell swings/rest 30 seconds

Combo 4 – Use both the middle and heavy kettlebell.  Start with the heavy kettlebell and move to the light kettlebell when you can’t complete another kettlebell swing with the heavy kettlebell.  It’s important that you’re using a weight heavy enough that fatigue settles in right around the 5th or 6th rep.  If the weight is too light you defeat the purpose of this style of “strip set” training.

• 5-8 kettlebell swings with heaviest,  followed by 10-15+ kettlebell swings with lightest/5 burpees/rest 30 seconds
• 5-8 kettlebell swings with heaviest, followed by 10-15+ kettlebell swings with lightest/5 180 planks/rest 30 seconds

You’ll do the same with combo 3 and 4; repeat for 20 minutes total.  At the end, you’ll have just completed 40 minutes of one of the best and hardest workouts of your life.  By making what many consider the best total body exercise the focal point of this workout, you’ll give yourself a serious metabolism boosting, fat shredding challenge that easily assimilates with almost any workout plan.

Feel free to throw this workout into your total routine 1-2x a week for max effectiveness.  If you’ve got any questions, please feel free to leave a comment below and I’ll be happy to get back to you.  Happy lifting!

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Improving the proportions you CAN control is the key to achieving “the look”.

Can I be real for a second?

Let’s cut the nonsense.  We all know why most of us are working out.  The primary reason I/we/most anyone works out is because they want to look better.  Forget all that scientific-y stuff for just a second.  Have you actually ever met anyone who told you they were working out so they could have a better VO2 max?  Endurance athletes not withstanding, I’m willing to bet you’ve yet to meet a person that made this their primary goal.  For the average person, i.e. not a competitive athlete, the primary goal is usually to improve one’s appearance.  Sure, the health benefits are amazing and they surely play a part in a desire to get fit, but most of us have a streak of vanity that must be fed like the savage beast that it is.

Some people will complain too much emphasis these days is placed on wanting to look good.  Personally, I don’t think it matters.  Fitness is going through something of a renaissance at the moment – more people are exercising, trying new things, and improving themselves.  Who cares if vanity is the driving factor?  The bottom line remains, more and more people are out there trying their damnedest to transform their body and health – the motivating factor is irrelevant.

But the fact remains, as human beings, we want to look better; more desirable; more attractive to the opposite sex..or the same sex, not that there’s anything wrong with that (who can pass up a classic Seinfeld reference?).

Since we’ve accepted the fact we’re working out to look better, wouldn’t it make sense to figure out what “better” means?  And secondly, wouldn’t it make sense to figure out how we’re going to workout to achieve “better”?  With that in mind, we delve into today’s post and take a look at something called the Golden Ratio and how it relates to your appearance.

The Scientists Speak…

So I lied before.  Let’s not completely forget all that scientific-y stuff just yet.  The damn scientists are back at it, and this time, they’ve developed something called the Golden Ratio.  The Golden Ratio, in mathematical terms, is the comparison between two aspects and the most “ideal”  proportion between them.  In an ideal world where we all end up looking like Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, this proportion ends up being 1:1.618.  Rather than go into a lengthy discussion about the Golden Ratio and how it’s found (or closely found) all across your body, I’m going to leave it at this: studies show people find faces/bodies with more symmetry and proportions closest to 1:1.618 the most attractive.

If you want a full run down on the Golden Ratio, wikipedia will gladly assist.

Certainly, there are aspects of ourselves we cannot change.  The proportion of our eyes, lips, etc. are things we’re stuck with.  Today, we’re talking about what we can change, and what has come to be defined as “the look”.  This “look” we’re talking about is relating the width of your shoulders to that of your waist.  Doesn’t matter if you’re a man or woman – those people with a shoulder to waist ratio closest to 1.618 are deemed to look the most fit and attractive.

Achieving a proportion of 1:1.618 between A and B is the epitome of “fit”…so says the scientists.

Not Just Vanity

That tapered “V” look is what many define as fit and healthy.  It shouldn’t come as a surprise that those individuals with this “V” shape are often as healthy as they are aesthetically pleasing.  Achieving a solid, muscular upper body, with a slender waist IS what you should all be shooting for.  Maintaining lean muscle mass will drive your metabolism and keep you lean and feeling great.  A slender waist is not only visually pleasing, but it’s a great indicator of overall health.

A very wise man, and roundly considered “The godfather of fitness”, Jack LaLanne once said:

Scales lie! You lose thirty pounds of muscle and you gain thirty pounds of fat and you weigh the same, right? Take that tape measure out. That won’t lie. Your waistline is your lifeline. It should be the same as it was when you were a young person.

Soak that in for a minute.  Your waistline is your lifeline.  A slim waistline is lacking in fat -  both the kind that sits just below the skin, and the more damaging variety; visceral fat, the kind that coats your internal organs.  Maintaining a flat tummy is more than just about vanity – it’s about achieving the epitome of good health.

Achieving “The Look”

For our purposes, we’ve defined “better” to mean getting closer to the Golden Ratio proportion of 1:1.618 between our shoulders and waistline.  Now, how do we actually get “better”?  Well, it’s going to take one thing right away – determination.  Changing your body (and health) is easy in theory, but difficult in practice.  Staying consistent, making the right dietary choices, and knowing when it’s time to push yourself harder is what stands between you and your dream body.  It’s hard to impart determination with a simple blog post, so I’m going to give you what I can for the time being – three workouts that will inch you closer to that Golden Ratio.

The following workouts are focused on two main elements:

• Lowering body fat
• Building AND preserving lean muscle mass

Notice I said building AND preserving lean muscle mass?  For those of you not reading between the lines, what I’m saying is this – we’re not going to put you on an endless cardio program that has you wasting away like a popsicle in summer.  Like Jack LaLanne said; “You lose thirty pounds of muscle and you gain thirty pounds of fat and you weigh the same, right?”  This isn’t about endlessly burning as many calories as possible – it’s about maximizing your lean muscle mass, reducing your body fat percentage, and slowly changing the composition of your body.

We accomplish this by performing short, intense cardio sessions, often with the simultaneous component of resistance training.  This type of training, often referred to as metabolic conditioning, is a fantastic way to increase your fat burning potential, while ensuring your muscles are being adequately stimulated.  Combine this with a well-designed power lifting workout or two a week, maybe a little HIIT training, and you’re well on your way to that Golden Ratio.

Getting that Golden Ratio body starts right here – check out these workouts that will help slim you down, tone you up, and get you into the best shape of your life.

• The MetCon Challenge – 2x per week
• The HIIT Workout Series – 1-2x per week – pick a day or two that looks most interesting to you.
• The Speed/Power Workout – 2x per week – use days 1 and 4.

This combination should lead to steady, lean muscular gains, and a healthy reduction of body fat.  By combining this program with a healthy diet, you’ll put yourself on a fast track to an amazing body, inside and out.

Triple Threat Training is a new workout method that’s already creating a buzz.

Finding ways to boost your motivation and stay engaged with what you’re doing should be at the core of your fitness being.  When your workouts become too predictable, that burned out feeling takes over your mind.  Slowly but surely, it begins devouring your motivation and sapping you of your energy.  This in turn leads to the deadly cycle of missed workouts and “I can just do it tomorrow” mentality.  You want to make noticeable, sustained progress?  You’ve got to avoid this goal-killing cycle and find ways to keep your motivation high.  One great one to keep motivation high is including new workout methods into your training plan from time to time.

Before we go any further, I want you to ask yourself something.  How are you currently working out?  How long have you been working out this way?  If you’re like most people, you’re probably on something like the routine listed below..and have been for quite a while…

• Monday: Upper body weight training
• Tuesday: Cardio
• Wednesday: Lower body weight training
• Thursday Cardio

……and so on….

This type of training can be very effective, but it can also get extremely boooringgg.   Knowing you’ve got that 5 mile run or 40 minutes of HIIT training after a long day of work doesnt drum up a lot of excitement in most people.  Over time, the runs start seeming longer and the lifts more like a chore.  Back when you started this training format, you were probably full of excitement and anticipation of a new workout routine.  As time dragged on, the novelty faded, the gains slowed down, and your perception of this once new and exciting workout routine changed.  It never ceases to amaze how much power perception plays in all of this.  When we perceive things to be new, effective, and exciting, we’re so full of motivation.  When they become more like a dreaded chore at the end of a long day, it’s no wonder we start skipping workouts and giving up all the progress we fought so hard for.

Not only that, but when you’re split training as mentioned above, you’re only impacting ONE aspect of your fitness on each training day.  In this case, you’ll train your upper body maybe once or twice a week, while your cardio is getting done at most three times a week.  Sound about right? 

Personally, I cycle my training on and off.  I’ll train in the manner listed above for a month or two, then completely change gears and go with something totally different.  That “totally different” is what I’m going to show you today. 

A New Workout for a New You…

In an effort to not only keep things fresh, but allow you to jump-start your progress, I want to introduce something I call Triple Threat Training.  Triple Threat Training is all about including three aspects of exercise in one workout.  Working in this format  accomplishes several things standard split training (usually) cannot…

• Allows for more training each week.  Short intense sessions allow you to hit muscles more frequently than standard split weight training routine does.
• Increases metabolism and calorie burning potential more than a standard HIIT/weight training split can.
• More diverse workouts mean less predictability and typically, sustained motivation.

Who is Triple Threat Training ideal for?

• Those looking for an increased rate of fat loss.
• Someone with a moderate level of fitness ability and are looking to develop that athletic/”toned” appearance
• Someone stuck on a plateau or for those people who feel they’ve tried everything and still can’t lose the last few pounds.
• Anyone looking to increase athletic performance and/or need to train for a race/event.
  

  This new workout method delivers big results to those who stay committed…

Triple Threat Training is a new workout method I developed for myself several years ago.  Like other training methods, it works best when you cycle it on and off and don’t stick to it for too long.  I like to train exclusively in this format for 6-8 weeks before changing gears and going with something different.  Nonetheless, I’ve come back to Triple Threat Training several times over the last few years and find that it’s one of my favorite ways to workout.  It provides that motivational spike I’m looking for, while delivering fast and steady gains while I’m on the plan. 

How It Works

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Triple Threat Training combines three corresponding exercises into one monster combination interval.  We start with one power/explosive cardiovascular movement, follow it up with a more finesse-based cardio movement, then finish out the combination with a strength exercise designed to affect multiple muscle groups at one time, while also allowing for a period of “active rest”.  By using active rest, we are able to do more work in the same amount of time.  With Triple Threat Training, we’re not stopping for 60-90 seconds after each set; we’re pushing through and minimizing the time we spend standing around catching our breath or letting our muscles recuperate.  We’re also not counting reps, we’re strictly going for time.  I’ll usually set an interval timer, and listen for the beeps.  It really is a very simple way of training.   Because things are precisely calculated, each training session is either 36 or 45 minutes long (difference is explained below). 

Timed Intervals

• (:30/:30/:30) Beginner/Intermediate
• (:30/:60/:30) Advanced
• 30 second rest after each three-exercise combination

This is the difference between a 36 or 45 minute workout.  If you’re better conditioned, opt for the :30/:60/:30 format, which includes one minute of a finesse cardio movement, instead of the standard 30 seconds.  Other than that, the workouts are identical and should provide a serious challenge, regardless of what your fitness ability currently is. 

I’m going to break down each combination, tell you exactly what equipment you’ll need, and then briefly explain how to perform the movements.  If you’re unclear about things, feel free to leave a comment below and I’ll be happy to get back to you.

Triple Threat Combo #1

Equipment needed: Bench/Box and jump rope (fast jumps in place if no jump rope).

Notes:  Set up a bench, and jump up and onto the bench.  Pause, and jump straight off, to the opposite side.  Turn around and repeat.  Without break, go right into jump roping or quick jumps in place if you don’t have a rope.  From here, get down and dirty and start those hindu push ups.  Take 30 seconds rest after your hindu push ups, then repeat 2 more times for a total of 3 rounds.

• Bench Jump Over and Back/Jump Rope/Hindu Push Ups

Triple Threat Combo #2

Equipment needed: Dumbbells or anything you can plant your hands on for split pikes.

Notes: We’re going with the explosive squat jump to slowly bump your heart rate, but primarily burn out your legs, before taking things to the ground.  We’ll be working the posterior chain as well as driving that heart rate up further with the crabs kicks.  From there, you’ll prop yourself up and perform split pikes for the final 30 seconds of work.

• Squat Jumps/Crab Kicks/Split Pikes

Triple Threat Combo #3

Equipment needed: Bench or box.

Notes: Powerful lateral bench hops morph into high knees, which end with a set of dips on the bench as you catch your breath and burn out of your triceps.

• Lateral Bench Hops/High Knees/Bench Dips

Triple Threat Combo #4

Equipment needed: Barbell.

Notes: Perform long jumps by simply squatting down and taking the longest jump possible.  Stop, turn around, and repeat.  Don’t use any momentum or take a “running start”.  On breakdowns, make sure you really move your feet in between the “sprawl” to the ground.  Focus on your footwork and quickly transitioning from a fast burst of running in place to getting parallel to the ground, as seen in the video link below.  With the hang snatch, keep a straight back and do your best not to lean forward or hunch over while performing the exercise.

Long Jumps/Breakdowns/Hang Snatches

Triple Threat Combo #5

Equipment needed: BOSU.

Notes: We’re incorporating a BOSU here to really tax those stabilizer muscles and give things a different look.  As always, move from one exercise to the next as quickly as possible and do your best to only rest at the end of each combination.  This is a very taxing three-exercise combination, so don’t get discouraged if you can’t make it all the way through. 

BOSU Trifecta’s/BOSU Jumps/BOSU Climbers/

Triple Threat Combo #6

Equipment needed: Plate or other sort of weight.

Notes: For those that are unfamiliar with shuttle runs, it’s simply a quick sprint, no more than 10 yards in length.  To be most effective, walk off 20-30 feet, and sprint each section, only slowing down to touch the ground, before turning and repeating the run.  Finish things strong with the tricep press, using the plate or weight used for the weighted speedskaters in the first part of this combination.

Weighted Speedskaters/Shuttle runs/Tricep Press with Leg Lift

The great thing about these workouts is the potential to mix-and-match a variety of exercises to create effective routines.  This is simply one of about a half a dozen Triple Threat Workouts I’ve put together.  While there is no exact list of which exercises can and cannot be used to make up a Triple Threat Workout, these are simply ones that I’ve used myself and have gotten great results from.  If you try to design your own workout, it’s important to keep a few things in mind….

• Utilize a strength movement that allows you to catch your breath or “actively rest”. 
• Cardiovascular movements should ideally work different aspects of the lower body.
• Triple Threat Workouts should have a clear focus so they can be effectively paired with other Triple Threat Workouts with differing focuses to avoid over training.

Depending upon your goals, mixing in 2-3 of these Triple Threat Workouts a week may be just what you need to take things to the next level.  This new workout format should help sustain or even relight that motivational fire and keep you on the track to success for many months to come. 

If you’re liking what you see and still want more, be sure to LIKE US on Facebook, where we’ll be posting the rest of our Triple Threat Workouts in the near future.

Be a warrior this winter…

Brace yourselves people, the long-awaited return of our crazy effective Winter Warrior Workout Plan (part 1) is here, with part two of this three-part body-changing program.  If you recall, part one of the Winter Warrior Workout Plan was all about helping you build a base for the challenges to come.  This workout program was designed to help you keep making progress when everyone else starts to slack off.  The 18-week time-table for this workout should leave you with an amazing base for when you REALLY start getting after it April/May or in other words, the beginning of swim suit season.  The moral behind the story is, if you’re sick and tired of starting over all the time, stop quitting.  The Winter Warrior is for all of you die-hard fitness heads out there who refuse to start over yet AGAIN this spring and summer.  Part two reflects on this and takes things up a notch.

Since the weather is probably getting even colder, snowy, rainy, and generally more miserable, we’re again going to keep everything indoors.  Part two is going to be pretty simple for you to follow; days one and three are all about hitting the weights, and hitting the weights hard.  Days two  and four are all about upping the intensity of your cardio sessions with these killer fat blasting workouts.  Notice I emphasized killer.  As you know, here at Share It Fitness, we test out every workout on ourselves and our mostly willing real-life clients, before we post anything to the blog or our website (this is partly why part two of this workout program is a bit delayed).

Well, pretty much everyone who tested these out for us said the cardio portion was some of the hardest workouts they’ve ever tried.  The good news is, everyone, yes EVERYONE, experienced weight loss, improved stamina, or increased the times following the end of our trial period.  Simply put, part two is highly effective at delivering results.  We think the combination we’ve found here is one of the best we’ve put together, and we challenge all of you to dig deep, stick with the program, and keep yourself motivated.  Your progress at the end of part two of this workout program will be nothing short of unbelievable.

Day 1

These workouts are simple, in that they don’t require a ton of equipment or movements, but don’t take that to mean they’re easy.  Today, we’re simply using a barbell and your own body weight.  Stack the barbell with enough weight that would allow you to knock out 8 reps on your WEAKEST exercise.  We’re doing today’s workout circuit style, meaning you perform one exercise after another, with no rest, until you’ve completed them all.  At that point, you’ll rest, grab a sip of water, and get ready to run through them again.  Seven rounds total and pay special attention to your form on each exercise.

6-8 reps of each. 7 rounds. 75 second rest after each round.

• Romanian Deadlift (Bent knees, keep a flat back.  If you have back issues, I’d recommend replacing with another exercise.  Leave a comment below for ideas)
• Bent Over Barbell Row
• Barbell Squats (Put bar behind your neck and squat. remember to keep a straight back and angle toes slightly outward.  Bad back? See above.)
• Clean and Press
• 30 seconds Barbell Hops (Lateral hops over barbell.  Max reps in 30 seconds)
• Upright Row
• Good Mornings

Day 2

Day two is a variation of one of our most notorious workouts of all time – the dreaded Treadmill Interval Workout.  We’re taking a lot of what made this workout so effective and altering it a bit for the Winter Warrior workout program.  Simply hop on a treadmill, follow the indications, and let ‘er rip.  Pretty simple…except it’s not.  A few quick notes; use whatever speed is right for you.  These speeds listed below are simply guidelines and what our test subjects used.  If you’re not comfortable, back off a bit.  We don’t want you to fall off the treadmill, because then everyone in the gym will laugh at you, and you’ll feel embarrassed and probably not return until the cuts and bruises heal, which would defeat the point of this workout program.  Also, you’ll notice a 10 second lag between each interval…this is an estimate and gives you time to adjust the speed on your treadmill.

• Minutes 0-2:00 – Warm up jog
• 2:10-4:00 – 7 mph
• 4:10-5:00 – 8 mph
• 5:10-6:00 – 9 mph
• 6:10-7:00 - 10 mph
• 7:10-9:00 – 5 mph
• 9:10-11:00 – Increase incline to 10% run at 4 mph
• 11:10-13:00 – Increase incline to 15% run at 3.5 mph
• 13:10-15:00 – Decrease incline to 10% run at 4 mph
• 15:10-17:00 – Decrease incline to 5% run at 6 mph
• 17:10-20:00 – Run backwards at 3 mph
• 20:10-40:00 – Shift between 5 mph and 8 mph every .2 miles.  For instance, 0-.2 miles run at 5 mph.  .2-.4 miles run at 8 mph, etc.

That’s it for today.  Drink plenty of water, stretch those legs out, and REST.  Congrats on getting through this killer workout today.

Day 3

Similar to day 1, we’re going to use a circuit style lifting format to help spike your metabolism, increase your caloric burn, and torch your muscles.  The goal of this isn’t to lift as much weight as you possibly can.  It’s about engaging as many muscle groups as possible, while maintaining good speed and form, and bumping your heart rate.  Remember, traditional cardio isn’t the only way to turn your body into a fat blasting machine.  Using a well-designed complex circuit can be just as, if not more effective in helping you strip away body fat if you’re doing it correctly.

Today we’re only using a plate.  For this, most of us used 35lb plates, but some went up to 45, while others used 25′s.  You decide what’s best for you.  The reps listed are again guidelines that most of our participants followed.  Shoot to hit them, and consider going lighter if necessary.

• 12 Plate swings (Hold plate at 9 and 3, and perform a swing as if you were using a kettlebell)
• 10 Hands above head squat (hold plate straight above your head while performing a squat)
• 10 Bent Over Plate Rows
• 16 Close Grip Plate Press (Lay on floor, hold plate at 9 and 3 again, and perform chest presses
• 10 Reverse Grip Plate Curls
• 16 Woodchoppers (8 per side)

Rest 75 seconds.  Repeat for 7 rounds total

Day 4

Today’s workout is all about bumping that heart rate, increasing agility, speed, and athletic ability.  You may be wondering why the hell you need to worry about athletic ability if your days are spent manning the customer call center, but there is a method to this madness.  By working on athletic ability, you’re training your body to work and behave more like an athlete’s body.  In other words, you’re going to increase your metabolism, lean muscle mass, reduce body fat, and develop a stronger cardiovascular system.  All you need today is a jump rope.  Seriously, they’re literally a few dollars at a Play-it-Again Sports or Wal-Mart.  Just go get one, it’ll be one of the best (and cheapest) things you invest in for your health.

Quick tip; if you can’t go the full round times, just reduce it to what you can handle, but always try to extend your times as you progress with this workout plan.

• Rounds 1-10 – Jump 30 seconds/rest 30 seconds
• Rounds 11-20 – Jump 45 seconds/rest 30 seconds
• Rounds 21-30 – Jump 30 seconds/rest 15 seconds

How to Work Out with this Workout Plan

This workout plan is intense, no doubt about it.  With that in mind, you may have to take a little more rest than usual when on part two of the Winter Warrior workout plan.  A good schedule might look something like this:

Monday: Day 1

Tuesday: Day 2

Wednesday: Rest

Thursday: Day 3

Friday: Day 4

Of course, you’ll need to do what works best for you.  If your legs feel like lead, it may be a good idea to give them a little extra rest before you go buck wild on that treadmill workout.  Just a thought.

If you’re on another one of our plans or doing something else on your own, feel free to supplement the Winter Warrior workout plan with additional workouts.  Again, just be sure you’re giving yourself proper rest and allowing that fabulous body time to re-coop and come back stronger than ever.

Like this workout plan?  Be sure to LIKE US on Facebook so you don’t miss any of our other heart-pounding and sweat-dripping body blasting workouts!