AusSHE: Beginners Program
As promised I have put together an easy to follow beginners program for anyone who is a little stuck and not sure what to do. This is very basic and a good place to get started but if you have been training for a while and are looking to amp it up you will have to look out for the more advanced workouts I will be posting early next week! :)
You want to start off at a lighter weight and work your way up. By your last repetition you want your muscles to be burning! Increased weight/resistance also speeds up fat loss because you have to work harder to perform the movements. So don't be scared! Start slow but make sure you lift some weight baby!
Exercise 1: (Chest) Incline Bench Press – 3 Sets of 12-15 repetitions
(When performing this exercise make sure as you bring the dumbbells down from the top position that you keep your elbows wide and at a right angle. This will make sure you are targeting your upper chest and not your triceps. Extend your arms all the way to the top so that the dumbbells almost touch and then lower again)
Exercise 2: (Shoulders) Side Lateral Raise – 3 Sets of 12-15 repetitions
(Standing with your feet shoulder width apart hold a dumbbell in each hand by your sides. With a slight bend in your elbow raise your upper arm sideways, always leading with your elbows to shoulder height. Lower and repeat)
Exercise 3: (Biceps) Standing Alternate Dumbbell Curls – 3 Sets of 12-15 reps
(You want to lock your elbows into your sides and curl each arm individually. Bring the dumbbell forward with palms facing up till you almost hit your upper arm then lower and repeat on the other side. The key is to keep your muscle under contraction, don't come all the way up so that your lower arm hits your upper arm as this takes the resistance off your muscle. Stop just before it hits and lower to maintain that contraction)
Exercise 4: (Triceps) Standing Cable Tricep Pushdown – 3 Sets of 12-15 repetitions
(With a rope or flat bar on the cable machine grab a hold of the attachment with both hands. Lower it all the way to the bottom so your arms are extended. Lock your elbows into your sides so that you only move your upper arm. That elbow needs to stay completely still. Stand upright, look forward and move your upper arm up towards your shoulder then lower it all the way to the bottom and squeeze the back of your arm. Repeat)
Exercise 5: (Back) Lat Pulldown Machine – 3 Sets of 12-15 repetitions
(Grab a hold of the attachment with a wide grip. When you pull the bar towards the top of your chest you want your elbows to be at a 90 degree angle. You want to pretend that you are pulling your elbows into your sides, chest slightly facing the bar above you. Pull the bar down till it almost hits the top of your chest, squeeze your shoulder blades together and then extend your arms back out. Keep your chin up.)
Follow this with 20mins of interval training. Jump on a bike or cross trainer and go for 3mins at an easy pace and 30seconds as fast as your legs can move, then repeat!
Same as above you want to start off fairly light and at each set increase the weight until you find a weight where you are struggling to get that last repetition out! If you want a toned booty and thighs you need to put those muscles under resistance to burn some serious fat!
Exercise 1: Leg Extension Machine – 3 Sets of 12-15 repetitions
Exercise 2: Hamstring Curl Machine (Seated or Lying) – 3 sets of 12-15 repetitions
Exercise 3: Sumo Squats (see a previous post in our blog for instructions on how to do these) 3 sets of 15-20 repetitions
Exercise 4: Lunges - 3 sets of 10-12 repetitions each leg
(It is important that you use correct form and don't be afraid to ask someone in the gym or a trainer to quickly give you a demo. Like with any exercise, if you use incorrect form it is easy to get an injury - as the saying goes, better to be safe than sorry! Also you may need to start these with no weight at all and build your way up)
Exercise 5: Leg Press - 3 sets of 12-15 repetitions
(Have your feet a little wider than shoulder width apart and position them a little higher on the leg press to really target your hamstrings and glutes too !)
Follow this with a 20min high incline walk on the treadmill. It will help move out some of that lactic acid build up to help with your recovery but still keep your heart rate up so you are burning fat at the same time.
If you don't know what some of the exercises are just send me a message and I'll post you a link so you can have a look at a demonstration on how to do it with correct form.
It's really important that you follow each workout with a good 'Whey Protein Isolate'. This is going to speed up your recovery and also help you develop some lean muscle that is going to make you lean and toned. I would suggest a protein like Isolyze by Species Nutrition or Nectar by Syntrax. Both taste unreal and have no carbs, no fat, high protein and are lactose free. Private inbox me if you need any help with your supplements.
Now go and kick some butt :)
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