How to Create the Perfect End to Summer
Get Ready for an Active July! You had your 4th of July Barbecue food and all the red, white, and blue desserts. Awesome! One good holiday this month, and you got the day to enjoy your food. Now, you are able to rock the rest of the month with your goals. Give or take a fun day here and there for balance.
To make sure you're physically prepared for fall and end summer on a high note, I've put together an awesome workout plan just for you. Follow these steps, stay committed, and watch your fitness level soar.
* I am not a certified personal trainer. These are exercises that have worked personally for me. This is not professional advice or medical consulting advice* This is clearly shared for inspiration period.
1. Stay Active: Aim for 7500+ steps a day, and keep your diet focused on whole foods. Craving sushi? Go for it, just make sure it's not fried. The more raw food in your diet the better as summer is a season where you need to constantly hydrate and have antioxidant, rejuvenating food to keep your body healthy.
Of course, you cannot forget to hydrate with 100-128 ounces of water every day. If you can, it did take me a lot of practice to get to this point. Hydrate with what your body is comfortable with.
2. Strength Training: Make strength training a priority five days a week, and use those steps as a form of cardio. It's a win-win!
3. Upper Body Push (Monday): Start with a 10-minute warm-up walk, then try these exercises:
- Dumbbell Seated Shoulder Press: 10-12 reps
- Dumbbell Standing Shoulder Press: 10-12 reps
- Dumbbell Lateral Raise: 12 reps
- Machine Seated Chest Fly: 12 reps
- Cable Rope Extension: 12 reps
- Dumbbell Tricep Kickback: 12 reps
- Stability Ball Roll Out: 12 reps
- Dumbbell Walking Lunge: 12 reps
Finish up with a 5-minute walk to cool down.
4. Lower Body (Tuesday): Begin with a 15-minute walk, then dive into these exercises:
- Trap Bar Deadlift: 4 sets of 12/10/8/6 (go heavy!)
- Barbell Hip Thrust: 3 sets of 8
- Barbell Back Squat: 3 sets of 10-12
- Machine Seated Abduction: 3 sets of 15
- Body Weight Alternating Jump Lunge: 3 sets of 10-12
- Cable Single Leg Kickback: 3 sets of 10x12
- Suspension Side Plank from Elbow: 3 sets of 10-12
5. Lower Body Focus 1.0 (Wednesday): Same as Tuesday's lower body workout. Keep the momentum going!
6. Upper Body Pull (Thursday): Start with a 10-minute cycling session at a 7/10 rate of perceived exertion (RPE), then get into these exercises:
- Band Assisted Close Grip Pull Up: 3 sets of 10/8/6
- Barbell Bent Over Row: 3 sets of 10-12
- Machine Seated Reverse Fly: 3 sets of 10-12
- Cable Seated Row: 3 sets of 10-12
- Cable Bicep Curl: 3 sets of 10-12
- Dumbbell Hammer Bicep Curl: 3 sets of 10-12
- Running: Do 10-minute intervals at a 1.5 incline, alternating between 15 seconds at a speed of 4 and 45 seconds at a speed of 9 (sprinting at a 10 RPE).
7. Lower Body Glutes (Friday): Start with a 10-minute walk, then complete these exercises:
- Cable Hip Abduction: 3 sets of 15
- Barbell Sumo Deadlift: 3 sets of 12/10/8/6
- Barbell Hip Thrust: 3 sets of 10-12
- Barbell Good Morning Deadlift: 3 sets of 10-12
- Dumbbell Deadlift: 3 sets of 15
- Cable Pull Through: 3 sets of 10-12
- Stability Ball Glute Bridge: 3 sets of 10-12
- Stability Ball Single Leg Bent Knee Glute Bridge: 3 sets of 10-12
Finish strong with a 10-minute cycling session at a 7/10 RPE.
By sticking to this workout plan, you'll be physically ready for fall and end the summer feeling fit and fabulous.You can push yourself as far as you can go and you will reap the benefits inside and out. Enjoy the weekends as your rest days and be active naturally.