Are you ready to start your own body transformation? Try this sample workout from Shannon Dey, M.S., founder and CEO of Bombshell Fitness, a competitive training and coaching group for women athletes.
If this routine seems intense to experts, that's because it is. But if you want to shape, tone, and tone your entire body - including those pesky hot spots - this is your ultimate blueprint. The following plan is designed for the advanced athlete and is inspired by the programs Dey creates for her figure and bikini competition clients.
Dey points out that it will take at least three weeks for your metabolism to increase enough to produce results. Hence, it is very important to exercise patience, be consistent and stay positive.
This weekly training plan will toggle your workouts to prevent plateauing and bring your body to its maximum potential.
MONTH 1
Week 1: Training 1 + daily cardio
Week 2: Training 2 + daily cardio
Week 3: Training 3 + daily cardio
Week 4: Training 1 + daily cardio
MONTH 2
Week 5: Training 2 + daily cardio
Week 6: Training 3 + daily cardio
Week 7: Training 3 + daily cardio
Week 8: Training 1 + daily cardio
MONTH 3
Week 9: Training 2 + daily cardio
Week 10: Training 3 + daily cardio
Week 11: Training 2 + daily cardio
Week 12: Training 1 + daily cardio
As with most fitness plans, the recipes may need to be tailored to your specific needs and goals. Always consult a doctor before embarking on any fitness or weight loss program.
CARDIO
Hero Pictures / Getty
Hero Pictures / Getty
These cardio workouts are meant to be tough. If you can't complete your entire cardio session at the beginning, don't be discouraged. Push yourself a little further each day until you can complete the entire session at the specified pace. It can take a few weeks for the entire session to complete. You know you're at the right level when you can't make a phone call or read a book, says Dey.
Monday / Wednesday / Friday morning
Warm up: 5 minute treadmill on foot
Treadmill intervals: Rotate under seven times for a total of 35 minutes. If the speed gets too easy, increase the rate.
- 1 minute: Incline 5, speed 4.5
- 2 minutes: incline 5, speed 5.0
- 3 minutes: incline 1, speed 5.5
Track sprints: Complete six 50-yard sprints with 30-second jogs
Tuesday / Thursday mornings
Warm up: 5 minutes on foot by bike or treadmill
Bike intervals: Rotate less than six times for a total of 45-50 minutes.
- 1 minute: level 5, speed 110
- 1 minute: level 7, speed 90
- 1 minute: level 9, speed 80
- 2 minutes: level 11, speed 70
- 15 wide high jumps
- 15 squats
- 15 lunges on each leg
- There are 20 high knees on each leg
WEIGHT TRAINING
Erik Isakson / Getty
Do only one strength training session a day. Dey recommends stopping weight training and cardio sessions in the morning and evening. However, if you need to do both sessions at the same time, do the strength training first. All of the movements listed here are designed to be done quickly but in good shape.
Any strength training should last no more than 45 minutes to an hour.
Most of these sessions contain supersets, which means that the listed exercises and their repetitions should be performed consecutively without a break.
As an example, the following superset of 2 x 15 leg extensions and 2 x 15 leg curls would be performed by doing 15 leg extensions and 15 leg curls back to back, resting, and then re-doing 15 of both exercises for a total of two repetitions, or "repetitions".
Workout split 1
Monday: legs
Superset:
- 2 x 15 leg extensions
- 2 x 15 leg curls
Superset:
- 4 x 20 wide leg press
- 4 x 20 shoulder-width forging machine squats
Superset:
- 4 x 15 leg extensions
- 4x15 close stance hack squat
Superset:
- 4 x 15 leg curls
- 4 x 15 rigid legs
Tuesday: shoulders / chest / triceps
Superset:
- 4 x 12 side elevation
- 4 x 15 one-armed dumbbell shoulder press
- 4 x 15 rear side elevation
- 5 x 15 inclined press
Superset:
- 4 x 15 pushdowns
- 4 x 12 bench dips
Wednesday: back / biceps
- 5 x 12 wide grip pulldowns
Superset:
- 4 x 15 cg cable row
- 4 x 20 hyper extensions
Superset:
- 5 x 15 preacher's curls
- 5 x 12 inclined dumbbell curls
Thursday: plyometry
Superset:
- 2 x 20 leg extensions
- 2 x 20 leg curls
Do the following exercises four times in a cycle without resting between hits. Rest 1 minute between rounds.
Superset:
- 10 wide high jumps (Tip: Jump as high as you can and hold in a deep crouch for 5 seconds after each jump.)
- 15 lunges on each leg
- 10 step-up jumps on the bench on each leg
- 15 reverse lunges on each leg
- 10 gallop squats on each leg
Friday: bum / shoulders / back
- 4 x 10 shoulder presses
- 4 x 10 far-reaching pulldowns
Superset:
- 4x 15 per leg push machine
- 4 x 15 good morning
- 5 x 10 high bench step-ups
gradyreese / Getty
gradyreese / Getty
Workout split 2
Monday: quads
Superset:
- 4 x 12 leg extensions
- 4x 12 weighted reverse barbell lunge
Superset:
- 4 x 15 dumbbell narrow squats
- 4 x 12 shoulder-width hack squat
Tuesday: shoulders / triceps
Superset:
- 4 x 12 side elevation
- 4 x 12 seated barbell press
- 4 x 12 high wire for rear delts
Superset:
- 4 x 15 pushdowns
- 4 x 15 overhead press
- 4 x 12 bench dips
Wednesday: back / biceps
- 6 x 12 pulldowns with wide grip
Superset:
- 4 x 15 cable row
- 4 x 15 one-armed row of dumbbells
Superset:
- 5 x 12 inclined dumbbell curls
- 5 x 15 seated dumbbell curls
Thursday: hamstrings
Superset:
- 5 x 15 leg curls
- 5 x 15 weighted level on the bench
Superset:
- 5 x 12 seated leg flexion
- 5 x 15 stiff leg
- 5 x 15 sumo dumbbell squats
Rest 30 seconds between sets
Friday: bum / chest
Superset:
- 4 x 15 incline fly
- 4 x 10 inclined press
Superset:
- 4 x 15 piston engine
- Lift 4 x 15 stability shot put
Superset:
- 4 x 15 sumo squats with weight
- 4 x 15 cable kickbacks
Gilaxia / Getty Images
Gilaxia / Getty Images
Workout split 3
Monday: quads
Superset:
- 4 x 15 leg extensions
- 4 x 10 narrow dumbbell squats
Superset:
- 4 x 20 shoulder-width leg presses
- 4 x 15 lunge (jump)
- 4 x 15 squats with a narrow forging machine
Tuesday: shoulders / triceps
Superset:
- 4 x 10 barbell shoulder presses
- Lift 4 x 10 barbell overhead with a wide grip
- 4 x 10 rear side elevation
- 6 x 8 side lifts - rest 20 seconds between sets
Superset:
- 3 x 15 rope spines
- 3 x 10 dumbbell nose breakers
- 3 x 15 dumbbell setbacks
Wednesday: back / biceps
Superset:
- 4 x 8 wide handles
- 4 x 8 fixed row of cables
Superset:
- 4 x 12 barbell rows with reverse grip (palms up)
- 4 x 12 supported pull-ups
- 5 x 15 overstretching
Superset:
- 4 x 8 preacher curls
- 4 x 12 seated dumbbell curls
- 4 x 15 inclined dumbbells curl
Thursday: hamstrings
Superset:
- 4 x 15 leg curls
- 4 x 12 leg press
Superset:
- 5 x 12 seated leg curls
- 5 x 12 rigid legs
Friday: chest / butt
Superset:
- 5x12 flat bow tie
- Press 5 x 12 slope cheers
Superset:
- 5 x 15 wide squat forging machine
- 5 x 12 Bosu Ball Squat
Superset:
- 4 x 20 overstretching
- 4 x 15 buttocks machine
