The Ultimate Fat Burning Home Workout Plan – Part 1 of 4

I have been training clients for over 10years now and started my fitness career working as the fitness director for a large commercial gym. However, over the past 2-3 years I am working with an ever increasing number of clients that are moving away from the normal model of joining a gym becuase they –

A) Hate training in gyms

B) Can’t stand training in a gym where there is poor instruction and paying for services they never use i.e. squash, spa, showers etc

B) Want to set up a workout program at home

C) Want short 10-20mins workouts that they can do at home that deliver results (drop fat and get fit – DFGF)

In the past I would have liked all my clients to maintain a gym membership while training with me but as each month passes I am strongly encouraging all clients to stop their gym membership and set up a training system at home with minimal equipment. Do you really want to continue training in a gym that charges €500 plus per year when all you use are the dumbbells, some cardio piece and the showers? If your primary goal is to DFGF I know that using and of my effective weights programs at home with minimal equipment. lots of variety and incorparating movements that give you the biggest bang for your buck. We are NOT talking about doing home workout DVD’s, using super light bands and water bottles as resistance – that sort of approach will produce minimal results and we are looking for maximum results in less time to transform your body.

I'm sorry but she did not get in good shape lifting those tiny dumbbells and neither will you!!

I know the majority of clients that I deal with have the following targets –

1. To drop body fat

2. To increase fitness

3. To increase strength

4. To become more flexible and mobile

I do still deal a lot with guys that want to gain lean muscle (if you want to gain maximum muscle click on this article ) some top level athletes (I am back working with scholarship students in a top Dublin University again this month) and guys/girls that want to increase sports performance or take their fitness to the next level having already achieved a really good base. However, recognise that the majority of people want to GFDF and to be able to hit the goals above in as short a time as possible.

So if your primary goal is to drop fat, get fit, become more flexible/mobile, have more energy and to look and feel great then this series of articles is for you. If you are a top level trainer or athlete and need help in taking you to the next level and you are NOT doing everything that is listed then you really need to take a reality check as what I will lay out are the basics for you and the hard stuff for the average person. This can all be done at home or in a gym (I know you gym goers still need lots of help with proper training also) if you wish.

Program

Part 1 – In all sessions I do with clients I want to assess their range of motion in all joints to see where they have limitations as the last thing I want to do is try to put function on top of disfunction. For example, if a client presents with really tight hips, weak glutes and poor shoulder mobility it would be a really really bad idea to get him/her to do movements where they are showing further disfunction e.g. they squat and their knees keep falling inwards or lots of press ups or bench press for already tight shoudlers and pecs. Remember get your body to function properly and the movements recommended will be easier and put you at less risk of injury. The key here is to –

A) check your standards of flexibility in this video.

B) Foam roll tight areas – here is some videos on foam rolling various joints. Don’t get too bogged down in this, just have a root around using a ball or roller and get in and work hard on the tight spots. The general idea here is you want to increase tissue quality.

General intro to foam rolling

How to pick the right foam roll

Shoulder rehab with rolling and stretching – almost everyone needs this!!

C) Strengthen weak areas – the most common issues I see are weak glutes and poor shoudler function. I can almost 100% guarantee if you are working at a desk or spending an hour plus per day driving then you need to start putting these movements into your program at the start of every session for 2-3mins.

Glute activation – pick one per session and rotate onto another in the following session. If you don’t have a band then get one asap

Three way glute exercise and glute stretch

Glute bridge – remember dig heel in and stop using your quads to lift up

X-band walks – as shown in this video at 3.45mins

Shoudler stability/strengthening – again pick one per session and rotate.

Band pulls – As shown at 2.35mins in the shoudler vid

Shoulder dislocates – should really be done in all sessions

Scap press ups – no equipment needed at all

Val slide/glider press ups – you can use even a pair or gloves for this or a towel so it slides easily.

At the start of any of the workouts I recommend it’s vital that you do just 4-5mins of foam rolling and strengthening of weak areas as listed above before each session. Doing all of this prepares you properly for the session and again helps to improve tissue quality, mobility, strengthens commonly weak areas and prevents avoidable injuries.

From there I recommend doing some dynamic stretching. There are so many variations you can use here and this is my choice as it again focuses on all the main areas. Dynamic stretching video . The purpose of this is to increase body temperature, improve mobility and generally prepare the body for exercise.

The workout.

I have labeled on my youtube account  (subscribe asapif you have not done so already) 20, yes 20 workouts that require minimal equipment and in the notes section of each video have listed how you can modify the movements if you do not have the equipment shown. However, I do think that if you are going to train from home then you MUST have the following –

A) Kettlebell (10-12kg for women, 20-24kg for men) is vital as you can use if for so many exercises. I do not recommend dumbbells as a first purchase as they take up too much space and are not essential kit. Order your kettlebell directly from me (which is cheaper) or order direct from http://www.buykettlebelldublin.com/

The great Lance Armstrong uses kettlebells in his home workouts and so should you

 

B) Foam roll, lacrosse ball and band – I have done an article on these essential pieces already here

C) a skipping rope – you can pick up one anywhere and really easy to get used to with some practice

D) A good mat – a good yoga mat will work fine

E) Non-essential kit – a TRX or Rings, Swiss ball and gliders/val slides. These are not essential but in time are worth buying so long as you have the space and will use them

This is a four part article so in this part I will cover 5 workouts that can be done in around 10-20mins or less. The goal here is to use short, intense, full body workouts to really ramp up the heart rate, increase strength and thus help burn fat and increase fitness. These are metcon (metabolic conditioning) type sessions that I have used in combination with strength focused sessions to successfully to help my clients strip away fat and boost energy levels.

Please remember to record and track the time each session takes or rounds completed so you can use them as a marker of improved performance. It’s like I always say, if performance is improving then you will look and feel better, but without increased performance nothing improves. These workouts are primarily aimed at the DFGF client as again many many people have this as a goal and need the structure on how to go about doing this.

I recommend doing the following five workouts over a 10-14 day period for beginners or over a 7-8 day period for those that have been working with weights already. The five workouts chosen have been picked as there is not too much repetition of the same movements e.g. not doing kettlebell swings or press ups  in each session. If you are unsure of the movements then you really need to book in for a one-to-one session with me so you can start making rapid progress on programs that get results in less time.

Workout 1 – Overhead lunge and Burpee session. Use no added weight on the lunges at first and swap press ups for burpees if you are really struggling on the burpees.

Workout 2 – Kettlebell swing and skipping ladder. As demonstrated by a client of mine that does lots of home workouts.

Workout 3 – Crossfit Cindy (www.crossfit.com, www.crossfit.ie ). One of the best basic and highly effective workouts you can do. Start with 10mins, then 15mins and ideally a 20mins Crossfit Cindy for 15+ rounds is a great target

Workout 4 – Run and 3mins AMRAP (as many rounds as possible). If you can’t run then walk/jog the 400m!

Workout 5 – Deadlift and inverted row workout. You can simply deadlift your kettlebell or a single heavy dumbbell instead of the barbell deadlift if you do not have the weights. Just place the weight between the legs, squat to pick it up, stand, lower the weight and repeat. One arm rows instead of the inverted rows if you don’t have a TRX or rings to do the rows.

So there you have it. Five simple yet highly effective workouts that can be done with little or no equipment from home or in a gym if you still want to maintain your membership. I would also combine one of these workouts with some strength work e.g. pull ups, step ups, split squats, core work etc with my one-to-one clients but when you are stuck for time and want short, effective workouts then the above sessions should be your first choice.

If you are unsure on how to do many of the movements mentioned then I now suggest you book in for a one-to-one session asap as these exercises are really going to help transform your body and for some people that were previously doing lots of cardio to help them look betterm, this is going to deliver results faster and in less time.

Some of you that are reading this may have already done the workouts listed so here is your opportunity to get reminded on what actually works when your primary goal is DFGF. Also, it’s a great reason to now pass this article on to those you know would benefit from this info or NEED this info in one complete article. There is of course one caveat and that is none of this is going to make a massive difference to your body if you do not keep your diet on track. For that you need to read and watch my Fat Loss 101 article – it’s still one of the most read articles each month I have ever written.  

In part 2 I will plan out five more metcons/10-20mins workouts that deliver results fast and give you another block of 7-14 days of constantly varied workouts and to build on my plan to give you 20 different workouts that build into the ultimate fat burning, muscle toning training plan.

Injury free and back in the game

I got a really nice call from a client of mine that came to see me over a month ago. Oisin had a number of problems with his knees to the point that when he played basketball he was in massive pain.

He had seen a trainer before me to help with this problem but ended up with more pain and problems as a result.

The issue was mainly related to lack of glute activation (butt not working right)and quad dominance (dependin on the thigh muscles to do all the work) on many of his leg exercises. This means that when he, for example, were to do a squat or step up then his thighs would do too much work and just further worsen the problems.

The solution lies in taking weight off the quads and getting the glutes to do more of the work through certain perscribed exercises. Obviously stretching and foam rolling  helped in a big way as he was very tight and was never told to address this issue directly.

At first I think he was very sceptical as he was used to being pushed quite hard but a month later and now back playing basketball 3 days a week he is in no doubt as to what was needed to get him back in the game.

So if you have knee problems my question would be – do you really need more direct leg work or do you need to take a step back, assess the problem and move forward with a plan of action. Almost all the people I treat for knee injuries come from poor to terrible flexibility in the legs and hips. So if you can’t achieve the basic stretching standards as mentioned below in the video then you really need to get your priorities in order.

What is the point in being fit or more muscular/toned when you do not have the flexibility to even bend down and touch your toes? Thanks again Oisin for the positive feedback and if you have a story you would like to share just mail me or write a comment in this post.

Glute work to cure back pain

Last night i did a review with a long time client of mine – Jim. He has just recovered from a bad back injury and has spent the past few months just walking (he has run a 3 marathons in the past 3 years) and doing stretching/pilates for 20-30mins in the morning and evening.

Some of the back injury was due to his glutes being really tight and basically not working right for him and specifically the piriformis which needed lots of stretching. He is now in the position to get back doing weights again and the video I took below is a short section of his workout that gives him some glute work, press ups and core work to keep his back/abs in shape.

Manyof the problems I see with the lower back or even the knee are related to tight glutes and what Jim is doing can help you activate the glutes more so they do the work they are supposed to do and not the lower back and thighs. Jim also does rolling for the glutes along with his stretching which combined is the best way to keep them in shape and free of injury. I have just paired them up with an upper body and core exercise to keep him moving and pushing his intensity up also. This is not a very difficult section of the workout but is right for the level he is at for the moment.

So if you are suffering from back and knee issues then it may be time to look at the source of the problem rather than constantly taking anti-inflammatory drugs, going to a chiropracter (can be helpful at times) or putting on a wrap and pop up to me or mail me with any questions you have.   

Faulty glutes (Butt muscles)

No i am not talking about some dodgy skin website!

In my day to day personal training possibly the most common fault i see are clients that have rubbish glute strength and flexibility that quite often leads to lower back and knee problems. This is most often due to lack of stretching and spending too much time in seats (car, sofa and work seats) where it stiffens and weakens the glutes – particularly the piriformis.

To see if your tight in these muscles simply sit in a regualr chair (where hips and knees are level with each other) and place one foot on the opposite knee and see if the knee  and ankle of the crossed leg are in line with each other or if the shin is parallel to the floor? If not your glutes are a mess and need some hip lifts and piriformis stretching (let me know if you do not know how to stretch  them and i can post up a pic/vid).

So have a look at the vid and practice activating the glutes like the two guys are doing – do 10reps on each side for 2 sets at the start of all workouts and glute rolling will help also – thats another topic to cover!