The Get-Your-Body-Back Workout

Phase 1: Weeks 1 to 4
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How to Do This Workout

• Do the Weight Workout 3 days a week, resting for at least a day after each session. So you might lift weights on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
• Do the Cardio Workout twice a week, on the days in between your Weight Workouts. So you might do your cardio sessions on Tuesday and Thursday. (If you can't find time to exercise 5 days a week, just do the Cardio Workout immediately following two of your weight workouts.)
• Prior to each Weight Workout, complete the warmup.

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Warmup

1. Side-lying thoracic rotation (1 set of 5 reps) 

2. Body-weight lunge (1 set of 4 reps)

3. Low side-to-side lunge (1 set of 4 reps)

4. Hip Raise with knee press-out (1 set of 10-12 reps)

 

5. Plank (1 set of 4-6 reps)

  

6. Swiss-ball W raise (1 set of 8-10 reps)

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Weight Workout

*rest for 1 minute between each exercise set*

1. Barbell or dumbbell squat (2-3 sets of 10-12 reps)

2. Pushup (2-3 sets of 10-12 reps)

3. Hip raise with feet on a Swiss ball (2-3 sets of 10-12 reps)

4. Cable row to neck with external rotation (2-3 sets of 10-12 reps)

5. Reverse crunch (2-3 sets of 10-12 reps)

 

6. Prone cobra (2-3 sets of 10-12 reps)

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Cardio Workout

Warm up by walking on a treadmill at an easy pace - about 30 to 50 percent of your best effort - for 3 to 5 minutes. Then do this interval workout:

• Raise the incline on the treadmill until your are exercising at an intensity that's 40 to 60 percent of your best effort. Go for 2 minutes.
• Lower the incline back to 0 percent and go for 2 minutes. That's one set.
• Do a total of three sets, then cool down for 3 to 5 minutes, waling at an easy pace.
• During the course of this 4-week phase, try to work up to a total of five sets.