You asked for it – you got it! A Summer workout to help burn off those extra pounds of body fat that have built up over the colder months.
Even though the title for this workout states it’s 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.
The following workout is 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, or you can perform your cardio in the morning and your workout at night.
If you’re performing your cardio directly after your workout you’ll want to shorten your cardio session to around 20 mins or so… as you don’t want to “over train”. Make sure you don’t doodle around during your weight workout. Get it done and use good form.
| Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday |
| workout | Cardio – Perform an extra abs workout after your cardio | workout | Cardio – Perform an extra abs workout after your cardio | workout | Cardio | OFF |
| Cardio – extra session or slow metabolism | Cardio- extra session or slow metabolism |
Beginners: Perform 1 x set only using lighter weights and 12-15 reps
Intermediate: 2-3 x sets using moderate weights with 10 reps for the upper body and 12 reps for the lower body
Advanced: 4 x sets using moderate to heavy weights and reps will vary from 6-8 reps to 12 reps depending on your goals
Once your sets increase divide the workout in half. This would look like this… perform your cardio directly after your workout. The abs option also applies to this workout.
| Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday |
| first half workout | 2nd half workout | Cardio – Perform an extra abs workout after your cardio | first half workout | 2nd half workout | Abs | OFF |
| Cardio | Cardio | Cardio | Cardio |
The following routine is going to be carried out performing two exercises of the same muscle group back to back with no rest in between.
Here’s an example:
Say if you were performing 3 sets x 12 reps of Bicep Curls and Hammer Curls, it would look like this:
Set 1
12 reps of Bicep Curls then directly afterwards, with no rest, perform 12 reps of Hammer 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 Hammer Curls
Quick rest then…
Set 3
12 reps of Bicep Curls then directly afterwards, with no rest, perform 12 reps of Hammer Curls
Ok, Onto the workout…
Dumbbell Arnold Press and Dumbbell Rear Lateral Raises
Dumbbell Arnold Press
Stand with your midsection firm and back straight. With a dumbbell in each hand have your arms bent and your palms facing the front of your shoulders.
Raise the dumbbells upwards, bringing your elbows out to the sides, rotating your hands so your palms are facing frontwards and so your arms are extended above you.
Lower the dumbbells down again to starting position, rotating your hands so that your palms are facing your shoulders.
Dumbbell Rear Lateral Raises
Seated on a bench bend forward with a dumbbell in each hand. Have your arms extended and elbows slightly bent.
Raise your dumbbells out to the sides and up to shoulder height. Focus on squeezing your shoulder blades together. Only raise your arms, not your upper body and keep your midsection firm throughout the movement. Slowly lower the dumbbells down again to starting position. And repeat.
Stationary Lunge and Plie` Squat
Stationary Lunge
Lunge forward with your left leg. Lower your body by bending your left knee (front leg) and your right knee (back leg) so it’s almost in contact with the floor. Return to starting position.
Keep your midsection firm throughout the movement. And your front knee should point in the same direction as your front foot.
Repeat this exercise to complete your set. Then swap leg lunging forward with your right leg.
Plie` Squat
Stand with your legs and feet wide apart. Have your knees and toes pointed outwards. Keep your chest out, your midsection firm and head facing front wards. Holding one end of a dumbbell with both hands in front of you. Make sure your back is straight and don’t lean too far forward. Now bending your knees squat leaning into your heels as low as you can, depending on your flexibility. Push yourself back up again squeezing your butt and inner thighs.
One Arm Bent Over Dumbbell Row – Bench and Superman – Beginners
One Arm Bent Over Dumbbell Row – Bench
Bend over, leaning forward along the side of a flat bench with your right knee and right hand on the bench.
Place a dumbbell in your left hand with your palm facing inwards. Make sure that your back is straight and midsection is firm.
With your left arm extended downwards towards the floor, pull the dumbbell up to your side bringing your elbow up without twisting your upper body.
Then lower the dumbbell down again. And repeat until you have completed your set. Then change sides.
Superman – Beginners
Lying face down on the floor and have your arms extended out in front of you and your legs outstretched behind you. Raise your right arm and left leg at the same time. Pause then lower them down to the floor. Then raise your left arm and right leg, pause and lower them down to the floor. Continue to alternate until you’ve completed your set.
This exercise is an alternative to the more advanced “superman” exercises.
Bicep Curl and Hammer Curl
Bicep Curl
Stand with your feet shoulder width apart, your back straight and your midsection firm.
With a dumbbell in each hand, have your arms at your sides and your palms facing inwards.
Keeping your elbows close to your sides, curl both your dumbbells upwards.
As you curl your dumbbells upwards rotate your dumbbells forwards so your palms are facing upward. Continue to raise your dumbbells towards your shoulders. Then lower them down again rotating the dumbbells so they are facing inwards again.
Then repeat to complete your set.
Hammer Curls
Stand with your feet shoulder width apart, your back straight and your midsection firm.
With a dumbbell in each hand, have your arms at your sides and your palms facing inwards.
Now curl both your dumbbells upwards, while keeping your upper arms still and your elbows close to your sides.
Lower the dumbbells down again to starting position and repeat until you’ve completed your set.
Squats and Standing Calf Raises
Squats and Standing Calf Raises
Squats
Stand with your legs about shoulder width apart. Have your arms either out in front of you or folded in front of your chest. Have your toes pointed slightly outwards.
Keep your chest out, your midsection firm and head facing frontwards. Now squat as if you were going to sit down, leaning into your heels, until your thighs are parallel to the floor.
If you’re new to squats, don’t squat down as far. I’m demonstrating the beginniners version here.
Now squeeze your butt and thighs and push through your heels to bring yourself up to starting position.
Do not lock your knees out when returning to standing position. Keep your knees soft and the movement flowing. Continue until you have completed the set.
I’m using an Adjustable Weight Bench for this exercise. Standing at one end of the bench with my toes and the balls of my feet on the bench’s framework. I’ve got my midsection firm and chest out. I’ve raised the back of the bench to full height so I can hold onto it.
I raise my heels as high as possible. Then lower them down again so they virtually touch the floor, so I can feel a stretch in my calves. I repeat this to complete my set.
Push Ups from either knees or toes and Dumbbell Flyes
Knee Push Ups
Start on all fours on the floor. Keeping your midsection firm, lean forward so that your hands are directly under your shoulders. You want to create a straight line from your knees through to your head. Slowly lower your upper body towards the floor bending your elbows. Then push yourself back up to starting position and repeat.
Dumbbell Flyes
With a dumbbell in each hand, start from a seated position holding the dumbbells at your waist. Then carefully lie down on your back on the bench.
Start with the dumbbells 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 (in an arc type motion) until you feel a stretch across your chest.
Your biceps should be lower than your chest when you feel the “stretch”. Slowly return your dumbbells to starting position. And repeat.
***I have my legs bent and on the bench to support my lower back.
Note: if you’re using heavy weights – ask a training buddy to carefully pass the dumbbells to you while you’re lying down on the bench.
Tricep Dips from Bench and Lying Dumbbell Tricep Extensions
Sitting on a bench, or chair, making sure it’s stable, so it doesn’t slip from under you, have your legs extended out in front of you, knees slightly bent.
With your chest out and midsection firm, have your hands either side of your backside holding onto the bench – fingers facing frontwards.
Place your backside to the edge of the bench, lowering your body downwards, bending your elbows.
Push back up and lower yourself down again. Do this for the required amount of reps. At the end of the set raise yourself back up and onto the bench.
Notes:
– If you suffer from wrist and shoulder issues avoid this exercise.
– If you’re using a chair you can always back the chair up against a wall – it must be stable to perform this exercise.
Lying Dumbbell Tricep Extensions
Make sure you use a lighter weight for this exercise. With a dumbbell in each hand, start from a seated position holding the dumbbells at your waist.
Carefully lie down on your back on the bench.
Extend your arms upwards and have your palms facing each other.
Bending your elbows, and keeping your upper arms still, carefully lower the dumbbells down until they are near your ears. Then raise the dumbbells back up to starting position.
Fitball Pass Over and Kneeling Oblique hold/raises
Fitball Pass Over
Lie on your back on the floor with your legs straight and your arms extended behind your head holding onto a fitball.
Slightly bending your legs, raise both your upper body and your legs off the floor bringing the fitball up and placing it between your feet.
Now lower your upper body and legs down again.
Then raise both your upper body and legs again this time passing the fitball back to your arms, then lower your upper body and legs down again.
Repeat this sequence passing the ball between your hands and your feet until you’ve completed your set.
Note:
If you can’t lower your legs all the way down, that’s ok. Just lower them to where you feel you can.
The more advanced option of this exercise is to keep your legs straight throughout the movement.
Kneeling Oblique Stabilization (hold or raises)
Start lying on your side with your bottom forearm and knees supporting your weight. Your top hip should be directly above or a little in front of your bottom hip and you should be as straight as possible from your shoulders to your knees. Focus on contracting your obliques (side abdominal muscles) to support your body and stay as still as possible after you begin the exercise. You should feel the obliques closer to the ground more than your other abdominal muscles.
To increase the difficulty, you can raise your body up and down instead of holding the position. Again, the focus is on keeping a straight body position and lifting up and down, focusing on using your obliques on the side closest to the ground. Try not to let your obliques relax between reps and your hips should not touch the ground after you begin the exercise. Perform up to15 reps on each side and breathe out when you are raising your body away from the ground.
Cool Down 5 minutes of moderate cardio of your choice etc.
Then perform your stretches
Now go kick some training butt with your summer workouts!
© Mandy Gibbons
Virtual Fitness Trainer
IMPORTANT: The above workout is an excerpt from my newsletter. It is provided free on this site but does not include support or customization.
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