Shape Gym Plans
The SHAPE programs are designed to get you into the gym to shed those unwanted kilograms, while also adding muscle tone and strength. There is a mix of cardiovascular components, body weight free exercises and exercise with weights. By doing a bit of cardiovascular work, you raise your metabolism and burn more calories. Adding weight training to a workout means that you build lean muscle in your body, which will further raise even your resting metabolism, which will burn even more fat.
Combine this program with some healthy eating, and after the first 6 weeks you should really start to see your body shape changing.
The recommended schedule should be to complete day 1 and 2, then a rest day, then day 3 and 4, then 2 rest days.
PHASE 1 - WEEK 1 to 3 - STABILITY and MOBILITY
PHASE 2 - WEEK 4 to 6 - BALANCE, FLUIDITY and COORDINATION
PHASE 3 - WEEK 7 to 12 - STRENGTH, PERFORMANCE and ENDURANCE
The daily routines are designed to get progressively more challenging as you enter the second and third phase listed above.
Shape - FIRST TIMER (4 weeks)
The 1st Timer Gym Plan is exactly that, a gym program for the person who has never set foot in a gym, or never been on a structured gym program.On the SHAPE 1st Timer Gym Plan you will do 3 sessions a week (with a rest day in between), each session will be roughly 45 minutes long, with a variety of cardiovascular (run/bike/row) activities, mixed with free body and weight work. This program will increase your confidence in the gym and in 4 weeks make you feel even fitter and stronger, ready for a full program.
Preview: Week 1, Session 1
1. Warm Up
Reps:1 Tempo:NA Rest:0
General and Varied 10 minute cardiovascular warm up. Choose 2 or 3 varied pieces of cardio kit, and work progressively harder on each piece for the 10 minutes. For example, have a 3-4 minute brisk (slight inclined) walk or slow jog on a treadmill. Then do 3-4 minutes on a rowing machine (slightly harder than the treadmill). Then do 3-4 minutes on the elliptical trainer with a fair bit of resistance. This will get you mobile, muscles warm and will get your heart rate going and ready for your workout.
2. Legs - Squats - Dumbbell Squats
Reps:10,10,10 Tempo:2-1-2 Rest:60
Holding dumbbells in your hands. Standing upright with your feet shoulder width apart. Move your hips back and bend your knees to lower your torso to the floor. Squat until your upper leg is parallel to the floor. Keep your torso as upright as possible (do not bend over too much). You should not descend too quickly, and your knees should remain aligned with your toes.
3. Chest - Dumbbell Bench Chest Press
Reps:10,10,10 Tempo:2-1-2 Rest:60
Lie face up on a gym bench, knees bent, feet flat on the floor. Hold the dumbbells above your chest. Slowly lower them to touch your chest and the push them back to the starting position.
4. Shoulders - Seated Shoulder Press
Reps:10,10,10 Tempo:2-1-2 Rest:60
Using a bench or gym ball , seated upright hold 2 dumbbells, palms up with elbows directly below your wrists. Press the dumbbells until they are directly above your head, pause and the return to the starting position with the dumbbells next to your ears.
5. Cardio Blast
Reps:1 Tempo:NA Rest:0
10 minutes on 1 or 2 peices of cardio kit: TREADMILL - do 5 - 10 minutes light flat jog or brisk uphill walk CYCLE - do 5 - 10 minutes, steady heart rate, RPE Level 6 or higher ROW - do 5 minutes, RPE 6 or above, steady row Cross Trainer - do 5 minutes, RPE 6 or above Stepper - do 5 minutes, RPE 6 or above
6. Arms - Triceps - Bar Push down
Reps:10,10,10 Tempo:2-1-2 Rest:60
Using a cable push down machine and a short cable bar. Standing upright with feet together. Elbows tight against your side, move from having your forearms slightly above parallel to extended all the way down.
7. Abdominals - Lying Knee Raises
Reps:12,12,12 Tempo:2-1-2 Rest:60
Lying down on your back. Your hands should be straight down by your sides, with your palms on the floor. Keeping your legs straight and knees together, lift your heels just off the floor. Keep your left leg still and straight, pull your right knee as far up as possible. Pause, then extend right leg back to starting position. Repeat with the other leg.
8. Abdominals - Lying Crunch
Reps:12,12,12 Tempo:2-1-2 Rest:60
Lying on your back, knees bent, feet flat on the floor. Put your hands behind your head, and raise your torso off the floor up to your knees. Lower yourself in a controlled manner.
9. Cool Down
Reps:1 Tempo:NA Rest:0
Minimum 5-10 minute stretch and cool down, focusing on the muscle groups and body parts worked today. Start off with a couple of minutes on one of the pieces of cardio equipment (treadmill, bike, elliptical trainer). Focus on your breathing, go very easy and bring your heart rate down. Follow this with a good stretch (20-30 seconds per body part worked, at least twice each).
Shape - BEGINNER (12 weeks)
The BEGINNER SHAPE PROGRAM will give you just the right mix of hard work, rest and recovery to give you some great weight loss results. The program is designed for someone who is fairly new to working out at a gym, and wants to follow a structured program aimed at weight loss. You may have tried a weight loss program in the past that didn’t work, the guarantee here is that if you follow this program and look after your diet, you will lose weight. How much? Well that is up to you!
Preview: Week 1, Session 1
1. Warm Up
Reps:1 Tempo:NA Rest:0
General and Varied 10 minute cardiovascular warm up. Choose 2 or 3 varied pieces of cardio kit, and work progressively harder on each piece for the 10 minutes. For example, have a 3-4 minute brisk (slight inclined) walk or slow jog on a treadmill. Then do 3-4 minutes on a rowing machine (slightly harder than the treadmill). Then do 3-4 minutes on the elliptical trainer with a fair bit of resistance. This will get you mobile, muscles warm and will get your heart rate going and ready for your workout.
2. Legs - Calf Raises - Standing Free
Reps:10,10,10 Tempo:2-1-2 Rest:45
Using a gym step, next to a wall for balance. Stand with your heels off the back of the step, legs straight. Drop your heels to the floor, then push up through your toes and go up on to your tip-toes. In a controlled manner, drop your heels back down to the floor. That is 1 rep complete. For variations, point your heel either slightly in or out, or try single leg calf raises.
3. Legs - Lunges - Body-weight Standing Lunges
Reps:10,10,10 Tempo:2-1-2 Rest:45
Standing with legs shoulder width apart, hands on hips. Take a big step forward, landing with your heel first. At the bottom of the movement, your front knee should be bent at 90 degrees and directly above the toes, and our back knee should be just above the ground. Return to your standing position by driving upwards with your front leg.
4. Legs - Step-ups - Body Weight Step-ups
Reps:10,10,10 Tempo:2-1-2 Rest:45
Using a Gym Step (set high), Step up with 1 leg. bring the other leg forward, knee up in front of you and then back to the floor without setting it down on the step. Step down and repeat with the other leg.
5. Chest - Bench Chest Dip
Reps:8,8,8 Tempo:2-1-2 Rest:45
Sit on a bench, hands just next to your bottom, palms down and knuckles forward. Extend your legs out in front of you, and shift your bottom off the bench, taking your weight on your hands. Lower your body, bending your arms slightly, and let most of the movement happen through the shoulders, in stead of bending your arms too much and using the triceps.
6. Shoulders - Seated Shoulder Press
Reps:10,10,10 Tempo:2-1-2 Rest:45
Using a bench or gym ball , seated upright hold 2 dumbbells, palms up with elbows directly below your wrists. Press the dumbbells until they are directly above your head, pause and the return to the starting position with the dumbbells next to your ears.
7. Arms - Triceps - Bar Push down
Reps:10,10,10 Tempo:2-1-2 Rest:45
Using a cable push down machine and a short cable bar. Standing upright with feet together. Elbows tight against your side, move from having your forearms slightly above parallel to extended all the way down.
8. Abdominals - Plank (front)
Reps:1,1,1 Tempo:Hold 15 sec Rest:30
Facing the floor, up on your toes and your elbows, keep your shoulders, bottom and feet in line. Hold. The REPS for this exercise refer to the number of seconds you must hold the plank position for.
9. Abdominals - Lying Crunch
Reps:10,10,10 Tempo:2-1-2 Rest:45
Lying on your back, knees bent, feet flat on the floor. Put your hands behind your head, and raise your torso off the floor up to your knees. Lower yourself in a controlled manner.
10. Cardio Blast
Reps:1 Tempo:NA Rest:0
10 minutes on 1 or 2 peices of cardio kit: TREADMILL - do 5 - 10 minutes light flat jog or brisk uphill walk CYCLE - do 5 - 10 minutes, steady heart rate, RPE Level 6 or higher ROW - do 5 minutes, RPE 6 or above, steady row Cross Trainer - do 5 minutes, RPE 6 or above Stepper - do 5 minutes, RPE 6 or above
11. Cool Down
Reps:1 Tempo:NA Rest:0
Minimum 5-10 minute stretch and cool down, focusing on the muscle groups and body parts worked today. Start off with a couple of minutes on one of the pieces of cardio equipment (treadmill, bike, elliptical trainer). Focus on your breathing, go very easy and bring your heart rate down. Follow this with a good stretch (20-30 seconds per body part worked, at least twice each).
Shape - INTERMEDIATE (12 weeks)
The INTERMEDIATE SHAPE PROGRAM is a challenging weight loss gym program. The Reps are high, the exercises are challenging and there enough variety to keep you interested and keep you motivated. You should have a bit of experience in the gym, and you must be willing to work hard. Great results await, get on the program, stay on the program, get the weight loss results you want!
Preview: Week 1, Session 1
1. Warm Up
Reps:1 Tempo:NA Rest:0
General and Varied 10 minute cardiovascular warm up. Choose 2 or 3 varied pieces of cardio kit, and work progressively harder on each piece for the 10 minutes. For example, have a 3-4 minute brisk (slight inclined) walk or slow jog on a treadmill. Then do 3-4 minutes on a rowing machine (slightly harder than the treadmill). Then do 3-4 minutes on the elliptical trainer with a fair bit of resistance. This will get you mobile, muscles warm and will get your heart rate going and ready for your workout.
2. Legs - Calf Raises - Standing Free
Reps:12,12,12 Tempo:2-1-2 Rest:45
Using a gym step, next to a wall for balance. Stand with your heels off the back of the step, legs straight. Drop your heels to the floor, then push up through your toes and go up on to your tip-toes. In a controlled manner, drop your heels back down to the floor. That is 1 rep complete. For variations, point your heel either slightly in or out, or try single leg calf raises.
3. Legs - Lunges - Body-weight Standing Lunges
Reps:12,12,12 Tempo:2-1-2 Rest:45
Standing with legs shoulder width apart, hands on hips. Take a big step forward, landing with your heel first. At the bottom of the movement, your front knee should be bent at 90 degrees and directly above the toes, and our back knee should be just above the ground. Return to your standing position by driving upwards with your front leg.
4. Legs - Step-ups - Body Weight Step-ups
Reps:12,12,12 Tempo:2-1-2 Rest:45
Using a Gym Step (set high), Step up with 1 leg. bring the other leg forward, knee up in front of you and then back to the floor without setting it down on the step. Step down and repeat with the other leg.
5. Chest - Bench Chest Dip
Reps:10,10,10 Tempo:2-1-2 Rest:45
Sit on a bench, hands just next to your bottom, palms down and knuckles forward. Extend your legs out in front of you, and shift your bottom off the bench, taking your weight on your hands. Lower your body, bending your arms slightly, and let most of the movement happen through the shoulders, in stead of bending your arms too much and using the triceps.
6. Shoulders - Seated Shoulder Press
Reps:12,12,12 Tempo:2-1-2 Rest:45
Using a bench or gym ball , seated upright hold 2 dumbbells, palms up with elbows directly below your wrists. Press the dumbbells until they are directly above your head, pause and the return to the starting position with the dumbbells next to your ears.
7. Arms - Triceps - Bar Push down
Reps:12,12,12 Tempo:2-1-2 Rest:45
Using a cable push down machine and a short cable bar. Standing upright with feet together. Elbows tight against your side, move from having your forearms slightly above parallel to extended all the way down.
8. Abdominals - Plank (front)
Reps:1,1,1 Tempo:Hold 20 sec Rest:30
Facing the floor, up on your toes and your elbows, keep your shoulders, bottom and feet in line. Hold. The REPS for this exercise refer to the number of seconds you must hold the plank position for.
9. Abdominals - Lying Crunch
Reps:15,15,15 Tempo:2-1-2 Rest:45
Lying on your back, knees bent, feet flat on the floor. Put your hands behind your head, and raise your torso off the floor up to your knees. Lower yourself in a controlled manner.
10. Cardio Blast
Reps:1 Tempo:NA Rest:0
10 minutes on 1 or 2 peices of cardio kit: TREADMILL - do 5 - 10 minutes light flat jog or brisk uphill walk CYCLE - do 5 - 10 minutes, steady heart rate, RPE Level 6 or higher ROW - do 5 minutes, RPE 6 or above, steady row Cross Trainer - do 5 minutes, RPE 6 or above Stepper - do 5 minutes, RPE 6 or above
11. Cool Down
Reps:1 Tempo:NA Rest:0
Minimum 5-10 minute stretch and cool down, focusing on the muscle groups and body parts worked today. Start off with a couple of minutes on one of the pieces of cardio equipment (treadmill, bike, elliptical trainer). Focus on your breathing, go very easy and bring your heart rate down. Follow this with a good stretch (20-30 seconds per body part worked, at least twice each).
Shape - ADVANCED (12 weeks)
There is enough variety and hard work in the ADVANCED SHAPE PLAN to get you heart pumping, giving you a great mix of cardiovascular work while you challenge your body with some serious weights. This program is not designed for someone who is new to the gym environment, but rather the experienced gym user who is looking for something that will challenge them.
Preview: Week 1, Session 1
1. Warm Up
Reps:1 Tempo:NA Rest:0
General and Varied 10 minute cardiovascular warm up. Choose 2 or 3 varied pieces of cardio kit, and work progressively harder on each piece for the 10 minutes. For example, have a 3-4 minute brisk (slight inclined) walk or slow jog on a treadmill. Then do 3-4 minutes on a rowing machine (slightly harder than the treadmill). Then do 3-4 minutes on the elliptical trainer with a fair bit of resistance. This will get you mobile, muscles warm and will get your heart rate going and ready for your workout.
2. Legs - Calf Raises - Standing Machine
Reps:15,15,15 Tempo:2-1-2 Rest:45
Using a calf raise machine. Stand with your heels off the back of the step, legsstraight. Drop your heels to the floor, then push up through your toes and goup on to your tip-toes. In a controlled manner, drop your heels back down to thefloor. That is 1 rep complete.
3. Legs - Lunges - Body-weight Standing Lunges
Reps:12,12,12 Tempo:2-1-2 Rest:45
Standing with legs shoulder width apart, hands on hips. Take a big step forward, landing with your heel first. At the bottom of the movement, your front knee should be bent at 90 degrees and directly above the toes, and our back knee should be just above the ground. Return to your standing position by driving upwards with your front leg.
4. Legs - Step-ups - Body Weight Step-ups
Reps:16,16,16 Tempo:2-1-2 Rest:45
Using a Gym Step (set high), Step up with 1 leg. bring the other leg forward, knee up in front of you and then back to the floor without setting it down on the step. Step down and repeat with the other leg.
5. Chest - Bench Chest Dip
Reps:10,10,10 Tempo:2-1-2 Rest:45
Sit on a bench, hands just next to your bottom, palms down and knuckles forward. Extend your legs out in front of you, and shift your bottom off the bench, taking your weight on your hands. Lower your body, bending your arms slightly, and let most of the movement happen through the shoulders, in stead of bending your arms too much and using the triceps.
6. Shoulders - Seated Shoulder Press
Reps:12,12,12 Tempo:2-1-2 Rest:45
Using a bench or gym ball , seated upright hold 2 dumbbells, palms up with elbows directly below your wrists. Press the dumbbells until they are directly above your head, pause and the return to the starting position with the dumbbells next to your ears.
7. Arms - Triceps - Bar Push down
Reps:12,12,12 Tempo:2-1-2 Rest:45
Using a cable push down machine and a short cable bar. Standing upright with feet together. Elbows tight against your side, move from having your forearms slightly above parallel to extended all the way down.
8. Abdominals - Plank (front)
Reps:1,1,1 Tempo:Hold 30 sec Rest:30
Facing the floor, up on your toes and your elbows, keep your shoulders, bottom and feet in line. Hold. The REPS for this exercise refer to the number of seconds you must hold the plank position for.
9. Abdominals - Lying Crunch
Reps:15,15,15 Tempo:2-1-2 Rest:45
Lying on your back, knees bent, feet flat on the floor. Put your hands behind your head, and raise your torso off the floor up to your knees. Lower yourself in a controlled manner.
10. Cardio Blast
Reps:1 Tempo:NA Rest:0
10 minutes on 1 or 2 peices of cardio kit: TREADMILL - do 5 - 10 minutes light flat jog or brisk uphill walk CYCLE - do 5 - 10 minutes, steady heart rate, RPE Level 6 or higher ROW - do 5 minutes, RPE 6 or above, steady row Cross Trainer - do 5 minutes, RPE 6 or above Stepper - do 5 minutes, RPE 6 or above
11. Cool Down
Reps:1 Tempo:NA Rest:0
Minimum 5-10 minute stretch and cool down, focusing on the muscle groups and body parts worked today. Start off with a couple of minutes on one of the pieces of cardio equipment (treadmill, bike, elliptical trainer). Focus on your breathing, go very easy and bring your heart rate down. Follow this with a good stretch (20-30 seconds per body part worked, at least twice each).
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