July 2019 Motivated Month Gym Workout
Below is the training program, which we’ll update each week and you progress through the month. There are links to simple videos explaining the basics of each movement.
For cardio days you’ll be working in RPE, which means Rate of Perceived Exertion. This is a way to gauge how hard you’re working on your cardio without spending money on a heart rate monitor. Here’s a reference for RPE scale. Remember to always work at the level that feels right for you and not overdo it. If something feels like too much, it probably is right now. Your body will tell you when it’s not ok.
Terms
Reps - Short for repetitions. It’s how many times you’ll do a single exercise. So 10 reps means repeat it 10 times.
Sets - How many groups of reps. So you’ll to 10 reps in a set, rest, and then repeat for as many sets as programmed.
Tri Set - Three exercises grouped together for efficiency, each working a different muscle group. You’ll move from one exercise to the other without much rest, allowing individual muscle groups to rest while another muscle group is working. Best for general fitness and weight los. Not ideal for maximum strength, power, or muscle thickening.
Super Set - A super set is 2 exercises grouped together for efficiency that work 2 different muscle groups. Like tri sets, you’ll move from one exercise to the other without much rest.
HIIT - An acronym for High Intensity Interval Training. HIIT cardio elevates your heart rate and continues to burn calories even after you’ve stopped exercising. A great way to get a lot out of your cardio and improve your overall fitness.
What Weight to Use?
Choose the weight you can do for the number of repetitions programmed that day, but still have one or 2 you could’ve done. You don’t want to go all the way to “failure” (when you couldn’t even do one more rep) when starting a new program because you’ll be intensely sore the next day. That level of soreness actually means you did too much damage to your muscles. Once and a while isn’t a big deal, neither is a little gentle soreness. But you want to avoid maxing out when you’re just starting out.
Week 1
Monday - Tri sets and core
3 sets of 10 Reps
Tri Set #1:
Squat to target (optional to add weight)
Chest Press
Tri Set #2
Reverse Lunge (each side individually)
Cable Pulldown
Core
Plank as long as you can 3x
Tuesday - Steady State Cardio
30 min swim, bike, jog - RPE 6
Wednesday - Tri sets and core
3 sets of 10 Reps
Tri Set #1
Bridges (optional to add weight)
Lateral Raises
Tri Set #2
Dumbbell Loaded Hip Hinge (RDL)
Incline Pushup - Pushup on edge of couch, coffee table, or floor
Offset Pullup
Core
Thursday - Rest/Walk/Yoga
Rest days are important to ensure your body has time to heal and recover. Your increase in strength and metabolism doesn’t happen when you’re working out; it’s actual when you’re resting! Be sure to take it easy on your recovery days to get the most out of your training.
Friday - Legs, Bis & Tris
3 sets of 10 Reps
Tri Set #1
Super Set #1
Cable Tri Extention
Super Set #2
Incline Pushup - Pushup on edge of couch, coffee table, or floor
Saturday - HIIT
20:40 work rest ratio
Machine of Choice
20 total minutes (or as many rounds as you can do)
Sunday - Rest/Walk/Yoga
Rest days are important to ensure your body has time to heal and recover. Your increase in strength and metabolism doesn’t happen when you’re working out; it’s actual when you’re resting! Be sure to take it easy on your recovery days to get the most out of your training.
Week 2
Monday - Tri sets and core
3 sets of 12 Reps
Tri Set #1:
Squat to target (optional to add weight)
Chest Press
Tri Set #2
Reverse Lunge (each side individually)
Cable Pulldown
Core
Plank as long as you can 3x
Tuesday - Tempo Intervals
90 seconds of work at 8 REP (see scale and explanation above), 2 min of recovery at light RPE
Repeat 8 times.
Wednesday - Tri sets and core
3 sets of 12 Reps
Tri Set #1
Bridges (optional to add weight)
Lateral Raises
Tri Set #2
Dumbbell Loaded Hip Hinge (RDL)
Incline Pushup - Pushup on edge of couch, coffee table, or floor
Offset Pullup
Core
Thursday - Rest/Walk/Yoga
Rest days are important to ensure your body has time to heal and recover. Your increase in strength and metabolism doesn’t happen when you’re working out; it’s actual when you’re resting! Be sure to take it easy on your recovery days to get the most out of your training.
Friday - Legs, Bis & Tris
3 sets of 12 Reps
Tri Set #1
Super Set #1
Cable Tri Extention
Super Set #2
Incline Pushup - Pushup on edge of couch, coffee table, or floor
Saturday - HIIT
20:40 work rest ratio
Machine of Choice
24 total minutes (or as many rounds as you can do)
Sunday - Rest/Walk/Yoga
Rest days are important to ensure your body has time to heal and recover. Your increase in strength and metabolism doesn’t happen when you’re working out; it’s actual when you’re resting! Be sure to take it easy on your recovery days to get the most out of your training.
Week 3
Monday - Tri sets and core
3 sets of 8 Reps
Tri Set #1:
Squat to target (lower the target, increase the weight, or add weight)
Chest Press - increase the weight
Bent Over Row - increase the weight
Tri Set #2
Reverse Lunge (each side individually) - hold something
Curl and Press - increase the weight
Cable Pulldown - increase the weight
Core
Plank as long as you can 3x
Tuesday - Tempo Intervals
90 seconds of work at 8 REP (see scale and explanation above), 2 min of recovery at light RPE
Repeat 8 times.
Wednesday - Tri sets and core
3 sets of 8 Reps
Tri Set #1
Bridges (add on increase weight)
Lateral Raises - increase weight
Dumbbell Bent Over Fly - increase weight
Tri Set #2
Dumbbell Loaded Hip Hinge (RDL) - increase weight
Incline Pushup - lower your target
Offset Pullup - decrease the offset or strength of the band
Core
Thursday - Rest/Walk/Yoga
Rest days are important to ensure your body has time to heal and recover. Your increase in strength and metabolism doesn’t happen when you’re working out; it’s actual when you’re resting! Be sure to take it easy on your recovery days to get the most out of your training.
Friday - Legs, Bis & Tris
3 sets of 8 Reps
Tri Set #1
Loaded Squat - add more weight
Curls - increase the weight
Bent Over Tri Ext - increase the weight
Super Set #1
Lateral Lunges - hold something
Cable Tri Extention - increase the wegith
Super Set #2
Incline Pushup - lower the height of what you’re on
Saturday - HIIT
20:40 work rest ratio
Machine of Choice
28 total minutes (or as many rounds as you can do)
Sunday - Rest/Walk/Yoga
Rest days are important to ensure your body has time to heal and recover. Your increase in strength and metabolism doesn’t happen when you’re working out; it’s actual when you’re resting! Be sure to take it easy on your recovery days to get the most out of your training.
We’ll post next week’s workouts on Sunday. Email darlene@darlene.coach with any questions.