How to calculate your workout needs (at home)

I have used many equations to calculate the individual’s needs for working out inside, and the one that seems to work very well  indeed is the following;

This will serve you VERY well into 2010, and you can upgrade it once a month if you’re focused on progress.

Rule number one-Aim for 6-8 exercises in your circuit

Rule number two-aim for those exercises to work each body part

Rule number three-aim for three circuits of the workout

Rule number four-test yourself on each exercise first and write down your best efforts on each exercise

Rule number four-to get your magic number for each exercise, halve your best efforts, for example if you can do 20 press ups on your best efforts, your magic number on your press ups will be 10, because you will need to do them over THREE circuits, does that makes sense?

Rule number five-do each exercise non-stop and have a breather/sip of water after each circuit, or the fittest amongst you will work up to be able to do 3 circuits non-stop without a break (this may take some considerable time)

Rule number six-Do each exercise with perfect form, do each exercise SLOWLY and don’t cheat, or you won’t progress and you may get injured, i can’t stress this enough!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rule number seven-do this circuit at least twice a week but i like THREE times, typically monday, wednesday and friday, always at least 48 hours in between each workout

Rule number eight-upgrade and re-test your workout needs ONCE a month, we are focused on progress and not comfort zones!

Rule number nine-don’t be tempted to add on needless exercises and turn your workouts into marathons! keep it to 6-8 exercises that will really test you, once you go over this number, your ideal intensity is lost trust me!

Rule number ten-believe in this! Working with resistance can and will re-shape your body, raise your metabolism (the rate you  burn calories) for LONGER than your cycling and running, broken down muscle from resistance training burns lots of calories in the re-building stage, this is a massive secret in your programme so you need this workout AND your outside stuff (walking, running, cycling etc).

So, the plan in practice, test yourself on the following after a warm up

Hyper extensions

Squats

Press ups

Arm dips

Sit ups

Alternate squat thrusts

So if you can do 20 press ups in one go at your best, 10 arm dips, 10 sit ups, 20 alternate squat thrusts, 10 squats, and always keep your hyper extensions at 10

Your circuit done a total of 3 times should be

hyper extensions-10

squats-5

press ups-10

arm dips-5

sit ups-5

alternate squat thrusts-10

Do this 3 times per week (monday, wednesday, friday ideally)

Let me know how you get on!

Keri

*How to do the exercises

Hyper extensions-(lower back)

Lie flat out on stomach with hands right in front of you. When ready, raise arms and legs together slowly, so your whole body raises, then lower yourself slowly to really stretch and strengthen your lower back.

Squats (legs)

Often called the “king” of exercises, the squat not gives your legs a tremendous boost, but your stomach and lower back too. It also gets you breathing really well and can have a good effect on your heart and lungs once you get used to it and advance.

Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and a bar resting on your shoulders or dumbbells to your side. Keep your back straight and slowly squat down until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Push yourself back up to a standing position and repeat.

 Key points-never lean forward (you’ll strain your back) and keep looking up directly in front of you, never look down. Keep your feet straight and don’t let the weight come onto the balls of your feet. Keep the movement slow to be safe and have big results.

 Press ups (upper body)

Full press up

Place hands directly under your shoulders, keep fingers pointing forward and your upper body and legs straight.

Bend your arms to 90 degrees and lower your body gently, keeping your head still, your stomach will need to be tensed, which keeps your legs straight. Breathe in on the way down and out on the way up.

 Recommended to start-try press ups on knees

Keep arms directly under shoulders again, but this time keep your knees on the floor on mat, slowly lower your body, and back up slowly.

Arm dips (backs of arms)

Using any bench literally anywhere, lower yourself down slowly with your hands behind you with your knees bent, then come back up slowly. To make it harder, straighten your legs out, aim for as many as possible without straining yourself of course!

 Sit ups (stomach)

Lie on the floor with knees bent and your feet placed flat on the floor. Support with your head gently with your hands as if you were holding a baby. Tense your stomach and then start off by raising your torso forward, raising your head and shoulders slightly off the floor and push your lower back into the floor to extra feel on the movement. Hold it for one second and then lower yourself back to the floor, then repeat.

Alternate squat thrusts

A great exercise for aerobic conditioning that’s low on joint pressure which is always good. Get in a position as if you were in starting blocks going for a 100m sprint. Hold it there, and simply interchange your legs pushing them back and forth, with your knees nearly touching your elbows. Aim for as many as possible.