Summer is right around the corner! The time to start getting swimsuit ready is NOW! You can get fit and fabulous in just four weeks, with a little work. This fun yet challenging workout plan is designed for both experienced and novice people who want a reliable and effective fitness routine to get fit.
Each week you’ll concentrate on getting fit with strength training, interval aerobic exercise, and recovery workouts. Strength training includes exercises that work every muscle group and is performed three times a week on nonconsecutive days, allotting recovery workouts between each workout as well as one rest day per week. For example: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
Interval aerobic exercise, like running, biking, rowing, or stair-climbing, is performed on the same days as your strength training exercises. Start with a short five-minute warm-up. Next perform 30 seconds of high intensity/resistance, 90 seconds low intensity/resistance for 10 intervals, or 20 minutes. Finish the interval exercise with a five-minute low-intensity cool down.
Recovery workouts should be performed three days a week, on days that the strength and interval training is not performed. These recovery workouts are low intensity cardiovascular sessions, like walking or biking, designed to help you recover from the intense full body fit workouts. For example: Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday.
Remember to allow one day a week for rest where no exercise is performed. This gives your muscles, bones, and connective tissues time to rest and recover from the stresses of the full body workout.
Week One
During the first week, you will be working one muscle group per exercise. Begin by selecting light weights.
Perform two sets of 12 to 15 repetitions of:
- Front squat
- Stiff-legged dead lift
- Lying leg curl
- Overhead barbell press
- Chin-up
- Dips
- Bench press
- Crunches
Follow these exercises with 30 minutes of interval aerobic exercise.
Perform recovery workouts for 45 minutes.
Week Two
Week two will focus on the exercises from week one plus additional exercises to further work the muscles of the body. If you feel comfortable, increase your weights by one to three pounds. Increase the sets you complete to three sets of 12 to 15 repetitions of each exercise.
Add to the week one exercises:
- Side lateral raises
- Leg extensions
- Chest flies
- Bent over rows
Perform 30 minutes of interval aerobic exercise following the strength training workout.
Perform recovery workouts for 60 minutes.
Week Three
In week three, you will add strengthening exercises to the exercises and weights of the exercises from weeks one and two. Increase the weight you are using and the amount of sets to four sets of 12 to 15 repetitions for each exercise.
Add to week one and two exercises:
- Military presses
- Lateral pull downs
Perform 30 minutes of interval aerobic exercise.
Perform recovery workouts for 75 minutes per day.
Week Four
In the final week you will add body-weight resistance exercises to the exercises from weeks one, two and three. Perform four sets of 20 repetitions of each exercise
Add to week one, two, and three exercises:
- Pushups
- Lunges
- Calf raises
Perform 30 minutes of interval aerobic workout.
Perform recovery workouts for 90 minutes.
Before starting this or any other fitness program, consult your health care professional to determine if it is right for your needs. If you experience faintness, dizziness, pain, or shortness of breath at any time while exercising you should stop immediately and contact your health care professional.
