ARE YOU WORKING THE RIGHT MUSCLES?

It’s a difficult thing to teach a person, exactly what a working muscle feels like.  Many beginners just try to imitate the movement the trainer has shown them, without really focusing on activating the muscle they’re supposed to be working.  It’s hard for them to identify the “feel” of those muscles.   When you first start training, you might find everything seems to hurt or burn, with every movement, and it’s hard to narrow in on the main muscle you working.  Muscles far away from the ones your working may feel like their on fire.  This is likely because your body is tensing all the muscles during then movement, so essentially you are sort of working more than just the targeted muscles.  With time and better conditioning, that will change. 

But even if you can’t exactly narrow in mentally on the target muscles, it’s extremely important that you give maximum effort toward trying.  Concentrate on contracting that specific muscle(s).  In time you will begin to get the feel for controlling and contracting each muscle group individually.   

For example, when working your back, it’s very easy to incorporate far too much biceps into your ROW EXERCISE.  By allowing your arm to bend past 90 degrees you are essentially pulling the weight in with your arms and not your back.  Keeping a 90 degree elbow bend, pulling to your hip and only allowing movement at the shoulder hinge keeps the back doing the majority of the pulling. 

NOTE: A good trainer can really help you with correct execution of all the exercises.

So make sure you’re not only physically ready to workout, but mentally ready for your workouts as well.  Coasting through with a blank mind, just swinging weights around will get you some work, but actively focusing on each muscle being worked, will deliver far superior results.   

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PLEASE READ -
Your current level of conditioning will determine how intense and how long you can maintain each cardio and exercise workout. 

Cardio workouts – It is your goal to control your level of intensity so you get to and maintain your heart rate at a desired level.  You should never exceed the maximum rate.  

Resistance workouts – You do not want your heart rate to exceed your maximum rate at any time during your workout. 

We suggest wearing a heart rate monitor. It’s a great tool to maximize your workout efforts. Taking your pulse while running or exercising is not easy.

If you are new to exercise, it is strongly recommended that you consult your physician to get clearance and determine your ideal ‘target exercise heart rate’ and ‘maximum heart rate’. If you are experienced in exercise, this is something you likely already know. But if not, this HEART RATE CALCULATOR link will take you to a calculator.

***WHAT TO KNOW…
1. Your RESTING heart rate.
2. Your MAX heart rate.
3. Your TARGET exercise heart rate

!!!Remember, if at any time during your workout, you feel pain or dizziness you should stop immediately as seek medical attention!!!

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What equipment will you need today…Dumbbells & Resistance Bands

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CARDIO WARM UP – If you have time you can do 10-15 minutes on your favorite cardio machine and then move to the body movement warm up. 

***If you are short on time skip the cardio warm-up and move straight to the body movement warm up.

BODY MOVEMENT WARM UP – Keep a quick and steady pace through the warm up.  Do not over exert yourself we are just warming up and loosening the muscles for the real workout to come.

Start your timer [recommend a talking timer] and switch movements at the times suggested.

• 0 - 1:00 – Jumping Jacks
• 1:01 – 1:30 – Trunk Rotations [full rotate left, then rotate full right alternating left and right.
• 1:31 - 2:00 - 3 Pos. Squats; Do one rep feet together, then shoulder width, finally plie and start over.
• 2:01 - 2:30 - High Knees jog in place.
• 2:31 - 3:00 - Butt Kicks jog in place.
• 3:01 - 3:30 - Spiderman Push Up.
• 3:31 - 4:00 - Downward Dog to Cobra.
• 4:01 - 4:30 - Alternating Lunge with over head arm stretch.
• 4:31 - 5:00 - Walking in place w/arm circles, forward, then reverse and alternate.

***Keep your timer running and begin the workout at 6 minute mark.  If you are going to do the second or third circuit, keep to the 60 seconds, max reps per exercise and 30-60 rest time between.

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THE WORKOUT...

Get detailed workout instructions CLICK HERE

-Muscle Group---Shoulders & Arms-

• Complete all exercises as a circuit. 
• Each set is for 60 seconds and max reps, unless otherwise stated.
• 30 second - Mini calorie burner set between main exercises is optional.
• 30 or 60 second rest/water break
• Beginners complete 1 set [Completion time less than 32 minutes]
• Intermediate & Advanced complete 2-3 sets [Completion time less than 60 minutes for 3 sets]

6:00 - 6:30 - Plate/Dumbbell Circles [left]

6:30 – 7:00 – Plate/Dumbbell Circles [right]

DUMBBELL / PLATE CIRCLES – Start by holding a dumbbell or plate in both hands at your waist [Not shown in picture]. Begin by circling the weight up and around to your left or right. Take it over, and slightly behind your head, then back around and down the other side and to the start position at your waist. Make the circular motion smooth like the second-hand of a clock. Same speed all the way around.

7:31 – 7:59 Rest/Water

8:00 – 9:00 - Rear Delt Circles

REAR DELT CIRCLES – Hold relatively light dumbbells in each hand. Lay face down on the floor with your arms extended straight over head. With dumbbells off the floor, circle your arms down to your waist. Your palms should naturally rotate through this movement. Don’t let the dumbbells touch the floor. Circle back to the top and repeat.

9:01 – 9:30  Optional – Leg Over Jumping Jacks

9:31 – 9:59 Rest/Water

10:00 – 11:00 Arnold Press

ARNOLD PRESS W/BANDS – Start with hands curled to sides, palms up. While pressing your hands overhead, rotate your hands palms to face front.

11:01 – 11:30 Optional – Standing side crunches

11:31 – 11:59 Rest/Water

12:00 – 13:00 Shrugs

Stand feet a comfortable width apart. Hold a dumbbell in each hand at your side. Pull your shoulders to your ears and hold for a 2-3 count.  Repeat. 

13:31 – 13:59 Rest/Water 

14:00 – 15:00 Biceps Curls

DUMBBELL CURL – Start holding two dumbbells at your sides, palms facing thighs. Curl one arm up to shoulder, while rotating hand to face shoulder. At the top really twist your hand to place a strong contraction on the biceps. Hold for a 1-2 count and lower back down. Repeat sequence with other arm, alternating arms each rep.

15:01 – 15:30 Optional – Leg kicks

Alternate legs. Stay tall on the weight-bearing leg and keep your back and kicking leg straight.

15:31 – 15:59 Rest/Water

16:00 – 17:00 Triceps Overhead Extension

OVERHEAD TRICEP EXTENSION – Anchor bands at floor. Stand facing away from anchor point. Keeping elbows locked at your ears, extend your arms straight overhead and back down behind your back. Lock your core tight.

17:01 – 17:29 Rest/Water

=REPEAT CIRCUIT ABOVE FOR THE REQUIRED SETS=

Super job!!!  Hydrate and Stretch

See you tomorrow