Excerpts from VFT's Newsletter:
#1 IN FAT BURNING, FUN, HEALTH AND FITNESS

WORKOUT: 2 x "SUMMER READY" WORKOUTS

By Mandy Gibbons

You asked for it - you got it! Workouts to help burn off those extra pounds of body fat that have built up over the colder months.

Even though the title for these workouts state they are for summer, those of you who are experiencing winter at the moment can still make use of the winter months by whipping yourself into shape in preparation for the up and coming summer season.

Both of these workouts are to be performed 3 times per week every second day. Such as Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Perform your cardio exercise on non weight training days which would be on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Sunday is rest day! If you have a slow metabolism then add another two cardio sessions to your regime` each week. This can be carried out directly after your workout, before the workout or you can perform your cardio in the morning and your workout at night.

=== FIRST WORKOUT

The following workout is going to be carried out by using compound sets. Which is performing two exercises of the same muscle group back to back with no rest in between.

For example:

Compound Sets 3 sets x 12 reps of Bicep Curls and Standing Barbell Curls:

Set 1
12 reps of Bicep Curls then directly afterwards, with no rest, perform 12 reps of Standing Barbell Curls.

You can now have a quick rest then repeat...

Set 2
12 reps of Bicep Curls then directly afterwards, with no rest, perform 12 reps of Standing Barbell Curls.

Quick rest then...

Set 3
12 reps of Bicep Curls then directly afterwards, with no rest, perform 12 reps of Standing Barbell Curls.

Ok, Onto the workout...

Warm Up: 5 minutes of moderate cardio either on the treadmill, bike etc.

ACTUAL WORKOUT:

Compound Sets
3 sets of 12-15 reps
Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press and Barbell Upright Rows

Compound Sets
4 sets of 12-15 reps
Lunges (perform 12-15 reps on each side for your lunges) and Barbell Squats

Compound Sets
3 sets of 12-15 reps
Wide Grip Chin Up Machine and Barbell Back Rows

Compound Sets
3 sets of 12-15 reps
Seated Incline Dumbbell Curls and Barbell Bicep Curls

Compound Sets
3 sets of 12-15 reps
Seated Barbell Calf Raises and Standing Dumbbell Calf Raises

Compound Sets
3 sets of 12-15 reps
Push Ups from either knees or toes and Dumbbell Flyes

Compound Sets
3 sets of 12-15 reps
Tricep Dips from Bench and Close Grip Barbell Tricep Presses

Compound Sets
3 sets of 12-15 reps
Ab Crunch and Reverse Crunch

Cool Down 5 minutes of moderate cardio either on the treadmill, bike etc.

Then perform your stretches

=== SECOND WORKOUT

The following workout is going to be carried out by using Supersets. To "Superset" you perform two exercises that are of opposing muscle groups. Such as biceps then immediately after, with no rest in between, train your triceps.

For example:

Supersets
3 sets x 12 reps of Cable Bicep Curls and Cable Tricep Pressdowns:

Set 1
12 reps of Cable Bicep Curls then directly afterwards, with no rest, perform 12 reps of Cable Tricep Pressdowns.

You can now have a quick rest then repeat...

Set 2
12 reps of Cable Bicep Curls then directly afterwards, with no rest, perform 12 reps of Cable Tricep Pressdowns.

Quick rest then...

Set 3
12 reps of Cable Bicep Curls then directly afterwards, with no rest, perform 12 reps of Cable Tricep Pressdowns.

Onto the workout.

Warm Up 5 minutes of moderate cardio either on the treadmill, bike etc.

ACTUAL WORKOUT:

Supersets
3 sets of 12-15 reps
Dumbbell Lateral Raises and Lying Lower Back Hyperextension

Supersets
3 sets of 12-15 reps
Barbell Bench Press and Wide Grip Lat Pulldowns

Supersets
3 sets of 12-15 reps
Leg Extensions and Leg Curls

Supersets
3 sets x 12-15 reps
Cable Bicep Curls and Cable Tricep Pressdowns

Supersets
3 sets of 12-15 reps
Arms Extended Crunch and Standing Calf Raise Machine

Cool Down 5 minutes of moderate cardio either on the treadmill, bike etc.

Then perform your stretches

1. Compound Sets Exercise List:

Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press
Sit on a bench or chair with your feet flat on the floor. Keep your chest out and midsection firm, do not arch your back. Hold a dumbbell in each hand, with your palms facing forward, and the dumbbells just above shoulder height. Your elbows should be bent and facing outwards. Now push up, in an arc type motion, so that the dumbbells meet at the top of the movement. Your dumbbells should be at arms length above your head and your elbows should only be slightly bent. Now lower down slowly and repeat.


Barbell Upright Rows
Stand with your feet shoulder width apart, and knees slightly bent. Keep your chest out and midsection firm, do not arch your back. Hold the bar in front of your thighs, with an overhand grip and your hands about 5-6 inches apart. Have your palms facing your body. Pull the bar up, keeping it close to your body, until it reaches your upper chest. Keep your elbows up (past shoulder height) and pointing outwards. Lower down slowly and repeat.


Lunges
Stand with your feet together. Keep your chest out and midsection firm, do not arch your back. Holding a dumbbell in each hand, by your sides, palms facing your outer thighs, step forward with a large step. Bend both your knees. Your front shin should remain in a straight line with your ankle. Your back knee should be nearly touching the floor. Now with your front foot push up carefully until you are back to starting position. Repeat exercise. Keep yourself steady throughout the exercise. Do not swing your dumbbells around, keep them down by your sides, at arms length. After you have performed the required amount of reps on that leg, swap to the other leg.


Barbell Squats
Stand with your legs about shoulder width apart. Keep your chest out, your midsection firm and head facing front wards. Have the barbell across the back of your shoulders. Your hands should be wider than shoulder width apart so that you can keep the barbell steady. Point your toes slightly outwards. Now squat down until your thighs are just past parallel to the floor. You can put a small block or some small flat weight plates under your heels for support to help keep your feet flat on the floor. Then using your thighs and butt push yourself back up again. Return to starting position and repeat exercise. Good technique is very important with squats.


Wide Grip Chin Up Machine
If you are new to Chin ups these machines are great. There are a few varieties including ones you can stand on or kneel on. The resistance on these machines work in reverse to others. Rather than you trying to perform chin ups by pulling your full bodyweight up on your own, this machine adds resistance to counteract with your bodyweight. Making it easier to pull your yourself up.

To start off when first using these machines set your weight at about 20% - 30% less your normal body weight. Kneel or stand on the pad, pull yourself up via the wide grip bars.

The pad you are standing or kneeling on will move up with you. Concentrate on using your upper back muscles to pull you up. When you reach the top, lower yourself down slowly until your feel a slight stretch. Continue to repeat the exercise for the required amount of reps for your workout. Alter the resistance as you progress to make it harder to pull yourself up. This machine is one of my favorites.


Barbell Back Rows
This exercise can be performed using an underhand or an overhand grip. You can alternate between the two on different workout days to help work different muscles in your back. This works the upper back and lats. Start with your feet apart and knees slightly bent. Bend over, keeping your abs firm, so your back straight and not curved. Using an over hand grip, past shoulder width, bring the barbell up towards your lower chest/upper abs region. Squeeze the muscles in your back when you hit the top of the movement. Lower slowly and repeat the exercise until you have completed your set.


Seated Incline Dumbbell Curls
Sit on a incline bench with your feet flat on the floor. Keep your chest out and midsection firm. Hold a dumbbell in each hand down by your sides, palms facing forwards. Curl the dumbbells 3/4's of the way up to your shoulders. Now lower the dumbbells down to starting position and repeat exercise. Keep your head forward and do not strain your neck.


Barbell Bicep Curls
Stand with your feet approx shoulder width apart, your midsection firm and your chest out. Keep your knees slightly bent, do not lock your knees out. Hold a barbell bar using an underhand grip. Your hands should be slightly narrower than your elbows. Curl the bar up towards your shoulders, until you feel the pump in your biceps. Lower the bar down slowly, then repeat.


Seated Barbell Calf Raises
Sit on a chair or bench for this exercise. Keep your back straight and your midsection firm. Place a small step or large block in front of you. Have your legs positioned so only the balls (the top half of your feet) of your feet are on the step in front of you. Your knees should line up directly above your ankles. Keep your feet straight and facing front wards. Place an old towel across your thighs then place the barbell on top of that. Now push your heels up as high as possible, squeezing your calf muscles, then lower your heels down until you feel the stretch. Then back up with your heels again. Do this continually, until you have completed your set. You should feel a burning sensation in your calf muscles.


Standing Dumbbell Calf Raises
Stand with your feet narrower than shoulder width apart, toes pointed front wards. Keep your chest out and midsection firm, do not arch your back. Hold a dumbbell in each hand, with your palms facing your outer thighs. Push up onto your big toes so your heels are raised. Squeeze your calf muscles then lower your heels down slowly. Repeat until you have finished your set. Keep your legs straight throughout the whole movement.


Push Ups from either knees or toes

Lie face down. Have your hands forwards, flat on the floor, slightly wider than shoulder width apart. Keep your tummy firm and body straight. This exercise can be performed either from your toes or from your knees:

Push ups from your toes - Push up keeping your body straight, midsection firm, do not let your hips sag, keep your legs straight out behind you with only your hands and toes touching the floor. Lower your body down again so it is nearly touching the floor then push youtself back up again. Continue until you have completed the required amount of reps.

Great for Beginners - Push ups from your knees. This is similar to the above except your knees are bent so that your shins are in line and touching the floor.


Dumbbell Flyes
You will need a flat bench and dumbbells for this exercise. Lie on your back on a flat bench, holding one dumbbell in each hand. Push the dumbbells up to meet directly above your chest, so they are at arms length. Your palms should be facing each other and your elbows slightly bent. Keeping your arms slightly bent throughout the exercise, lower the dumbbells out to your sides until you feel a stretch across your chest. Slowly return your dumbbells to starting position. Breathe out as you do this. (If you are not feeling this exercise, you may not be lowering your arms low enough at the sides of your chest. Your biceps should be lower than your chest when you feel the "stretch".) Repeat this exercise until you have completed your set.


Tricep Dips from Bench
Sitting on a bench or chair, have your legs extended out in front of you. Make sure your body is stable and your chest is out, keeping your midsection firm throughout the movement. Have your hands besides your backside and facing front wards. Place your backside to the edge of the bench or chair, making sure the chair is secure and won't slip out from under you. Now lift yourself off the bench or chair, your legs should now be slightly bent. Lower your body down slightly until your elbows are nearly in line with your shoulders. Push back up and lower your self down again without stopping. Do this for the required amount of reps.


Close Grip Barbell Tricep Presses
Lie flat on your back. Make sure your lower back is pressed firmly into the bench. If your feet don't touch the floor, you can bend your legs and place your feet at the end of the bench. Using a barbell, have a narrow overhand-grip, with your hands about 7 inches apart. Have the barbell extended directly upwards, virtually inline with your upper chest, lower shoulders. Bend your arms and slowly lower the barbell downwards until it nearly touches your chest. Push the barbell back up to starting position. Repeat exercise to complete your required sets.


Ab Crunch
Lie flat on your back on the floor with your legs bent, feet flat. If your lower back is weak you may like to push it into the floor to prevent it from arching. Clasp your hands behind your neck, keeping your elbows back, in-line with your head. Crunch up slightly, raising your head and shoulders, breathing out as your upper body raises.

As you crunch up squeeze your abs as tight as possible. Lower your head and shoulders back down to the floor and repeat. You should feel a burning sensation in your upper abs area. Keep this movement continuous until you have completed your set.

Reverse Crunch
Lie flat on your back, legs raised and bent, with your lower legs folded. Place your arms down by your sides with your hands facing downwards. Now raise your pelvis off the floor while squeezing your lower pelvis, breathing out as you do this. Lower your pelvis down again and repeat the exercise. Keep this movement continuous until you have completed your set.

2. Supersets Exercise List:

Dumbbell Lateral Raises
Stand with your feet shoulder width apart, and knees slightly bent. Keep your chest out and midsection firm, do not arch your back. Holding a dumbbell in each hand, by your sides, your palms should be facing your body. Have your elbows slightly bent. Now raise the dumbbells up and outwards, keeping your arms only slightly bent. The dumbbells should be just above shoulder height. Now lower down slowly and repeat.


Lying Lower Back Hyperextension
Lie flat on your tummy on a firm surface. Bend your arms and place your hands at either side of your head. Raise your head and shoulders a few of inches off the floor. Squeeze your butt at the same time. Do not lift your feet or knees off the floor. Return to starting position. You will feel this working your lower back towards the end of the first or second set. Remember if you haven't trained this area for a while you will have sore lower back muscles when you first start using this exercise as this is one of the bodies weakest areas.


Barbell Bench Press
This exercise is fantastic for stimulating muscle growth in your chest area. You will need a flat bench for this exercise. Lie flat on your back. Make sure your lower back is pressed firmly into the bench. If your feet don't touch the floor, you can bend your legs and place your feet at the end of the bench. DO NOT HOLD YOUR BREATH. Using a wide grip on your barbell, have your palms facing up and your grip just past shoulder width. Push the barbell directly above your chest. Lower the barbell down slowly until it only slightly touches your
chest at nipple line. (Your elbows should be pointing out to the sides.) Push the barbell back up to starting position, make sure you don't bounce the barbell at the top of the movement. Repeat exercise until you have completed your set.


Wide Grip Lat Pulldowns
You can either use a Pulldown Machine or a pulley machine. Either way you will be seated during this exercise and using a wide grip bar.

Seated, facing the pulley machine, place a wide grip on the bar just past shoulder width. Keeping your tummy firm lean back slightly and pull the bar down so it nearly touches the top of your upper chest. Keep your chest out and your midsection firm throughout the exercise. Slowly return the bar back towards the pulley stopping when you feel the stretch, then repeat the exercise until you have completed your reps.


Leg Extensions
Seated on the leg extension machine or bench, curl your feet underneath the bottom pad. Have the back of your knees over the top of the top pad. These pads, normally, are adjustable. Keep your chest out and midsection firm. The bottom pad should be sitting on top of your ankle / bottom of shins. (no higher or lower) Keep your chest out and your midsection firm. Hold onto the handles or onto the underneath of the bench, where you are seated. Lift the weights by extending your legs out in front, until your legs are straight. Feel the pull at the front of your thighs, towards your knees, then return to starting position. Repeat exercise.


Leg Curls
Lie face down on the bench or leg curl machine with the pads resting on the back of your ankles. Hold onto the handles or onto the bench or framework to keep you stable. Have your knees slightly hanging over the edge of the bench. Do not strain your neck keep your head forward and do not arch your back up. (If you do feel some neck pain turn your head to the side and have it flat on the bench.) Curl your legs up so that the pads are virtually touching your backside. Squeeze your backside muscles then slowly lower your legs down to starting position. Repeat exercise.


Cable Bicep Curls
Stand with your knees bent, chest out, midsection firm and facing the cable machine. Use a low pulley with a bar attachment. Using a wide, no wider than shoulders, underhand grip, curl the bar up towards your shoulders squeezing your bicep muscles then lower the bar down to arms length. Repeat the required repetitions.


Cable Tricep Pressdowns
Standing facing the cable machine, have your knees slightly bent. Lean forward slightly, not too far, keeping your midsection firm, chest out and your elbows down by your waist. Using a bar attachment on the top pulley have an overhand grip, with your thumb also over the top. Your hands should be about 7-8 inches apart. Start with your elbows at your waist and the bar level with your chest, keep your head facing front wards. Push the bar downwards toward your thighs, keeping your elbows pivoted at your waistline, until your elbows and arms are nearly straight. Slowly return the bar back to starting position (level with chest) and repeat exercise. Keep it smooth and don't "clunk" the weights. Repeat for required amount of reps

Arms Extended Crunch
Lie flat on your back, legs bent, feet flat and if your back is weak keep it securely on the floor. Have your arms extended above your head, so they are touching the floor. Have your legs slightly apart. Crunch up raising your head and shoulders, bringing your arms and hands up and over your head until they meet between your knees. Push your lower back into the floor, tucking your pelvis up and squeezing your abs as tight as possible. Lower your head, shoulders, arms and pelvis back down to the floor. Repeat the same again but bring your arms up and over to the outer sides of your thighs - virtually touching the floor. Repeat sequence for the required amount of reps.


Standing Calf Raise Machine
Stand on the calf raise machine with the balls of your feet on the block or platform and your heels hanging off the edge. Standing up straight with your chest out and midsection firm place your shoulders under the shoulder pads and your head in between them. Keeping your legs straight. Push up high with your heels squeezing your calf muscles then lower them down to feel the stretch. Repeat for required amount of reps.