Workouts

Transform Your Body with This Ultimate 8-Week Workout Plan

Author: Lee Bell

February 1st 2019

In this ultimate 8-week workout plan we show you how to cut fat, crush your fitness goals and completely transform your body.

It’s transformation season… and in this fat-shredding program you’ll be completely rebooting your relationship with your body.

The next two months are all about metabolism-blasting strength training, stamina-building interval training and complete physique transformation.

Want to burn fat, fast?

These are the tools that pro athletes use… and now they’re yours.

Goal:Fat loss, muscular fitness
Aimed at:Beginner to intermediate
Program duration:8 weeks
Workout duration:45-60 minutes
Equipment needed:barbell, dumbbell, resistance machines, medicine ball, body weight

The 8-week workout plan that’ll completely transform your physique

This isn’t your first rodeo.

You’ve been here before.

This time is different though – you’re fully committed and ready to take on a program that guarantees results.

Whether it’s a beach holiday, a special occasion or you’re just sick of your current physique, you’ve decided to make big changes.

This is your time.

You want to build a body that’s as strong as it is lean.

The fact that you’re carrying a few extra pounds right now doesn’t matter. We don’t care that your fitness isn’t what it used to be either.

Because in two-months’ time you’ll be at peak physique once again.

This 8-week workout plan has been designed by our athletic coaches and physical trainers to develop three things:

  • Low body fat
  • Maximal strength
  • Blistering speed and stamina

How is this 8-week workout plan structured?

This workout is designed for those that want to get back in the fast lane but can only commit to three workouts per week. Hey, there’s nothing wrong with that – in today’s hectic world, being able to hit the gym for more than a couple of times each week is a bonus.

With 3 fat-shredding workouts you can make drastic changes to your physique.

The plan is split into 2 phases:

  • Weeks 1-4
  • Weeks 5-8

The program is built around core movement patterns.

Each exercise we’ve added falls into one of the following categories:

  • Push exercise: these include overhead pressing and bench press variations
  • Pull exercise: anything where you row or pull a weight towards your chest – pulldown, seated row etc.
  • Squat: extension of the hip and knee such as back squat, front squat
  • Deadlift: hip-dominant lower body work

There are literally millions of exercise variations to choose from.

BUT… it’s about finding the ones that work best for your goals.

If you follow a program using key exercises from the above categories, you’ll target all major muscle groups in a way that develops optimal athleticism. Forget the crazy drills and exercises you see fitness models doing on their social media – that’s just for attention.

This is the stuff that works.

Plain and simple.

8-week-workout-transformation


8-weeks to build strength, fitness and fat loss

Phase 1: Weeks 1-4

In phase one you’ll be targeting all major muscles with challenging strength workouts. These are supplemented with calorie-shredding high-intensity interval training (HIIT) to give you a double-barreled attack to your fat cells.

Here’s your overview for the month:

Monday: Strength workout and HIIT

Wednesday: Strength workout

Friday: Strength workout and HIIT

You’ll be hitting the ground running in this first phase and need a good base of fitness to get through these sessions intact.

Cycle strength workout 1 and 2 each week. This will a give you a balanced, varied approach to each workout. It’ll ensure you cover all core movements but still stimulate your muscles in a different way each week.

Week 1: A/B/A

Week 2: B/A/B

Week 3: A/B/A

Week 4: B/A/B

Week 1-4 strength workouts

Workout A:

OrderExerciseSetsRepsRest time
A1Barbell back squat46-81-3 minutes
B1Pull-ups46-81-3 minutes
C1Lying leg curl46-81-3 minutes
D1Barbell overhead press46-81-3 minutes
E1Dumbbell upright row46-81-3 minutes
F1Dumbbell flat bench press46-81-3 minutes

Workout B:

OrderExerciseSetsRepsRest time
A1Incline barbell bench press46-81-3 minutes
B1Barbell Romanian deadlift46-81-3 minutes
C1Dumbbell lateral raise46-81-3 minutes
D1Leg press46-81-3 minutes
E1Weighted dips46-81-3 minutes
F1Dumbbell bent over row46-81-3 minutes

On Mondays and Wednesdays, you’ll be pumping out some high-intensity interval training (HIIT) as well your 3-times per week strength sessions. This leaves no stone unturned in your quest for single-digit body fat gains.

HIIT workout 1

ExerciseWork set durationRecovery set durationTotal number of work setsTotal duration
Rowing machine 30 seconds30 seconds1010 minutes

HIIT workout 2:

ExerciseWork set durationRecovery set durationTotal number of work setsTotal duration
Bike3 minutes2 minutes420 minutes

Phase 2: Weeks 5-8

This second phase builds on what you’ve created in the first month of hard training. You’re much fitter, confident and motivated now than you were, so let’s take advantage of that by upping the fat-burning ante.

Here’s your summary for the month:

Monday: High-intensity interval training

Wednesday: High-intensity interval training

Friday: High-intensity interval training

In phase 2, you’ll be using THE most effective fat-burning workout system on the planet. It’s called high-intensity resistance training (HIRT).

HIRT is a circuit-style workout using strength exercises. It combines cardio and muscle-building techniques that smash through stored fat while building strength, fitness and even muscle.

According to research, high-intensity resistance training is even more effective for calorie burning than traditional strength training [1].

  • Maximizes energy expenditure during exercise – blasts through calories at a faster rate
  • Increases muscle mitochondria – the cells responsible for burning fat
  • Elevates afterburn effect – burns fat for as long as 24 hours after exercise
  • Builds muscle mass – muscle boosts metabolic rate. The more you have, the more fat you can burn.

If HIRT is so effective, why wasn’t it in phase 1?

The simple answer to this is that HIRT is tough.

Horribly tough.

Without the right foundation of fitness, it’ll break you. Literally.

It’s an awesome system and the results will speak for themselves… but you have to deserve to use it. That’s why we put phase 1 in – to build the necessary armour you’ll need to use HIRT to full effect.

Week 5-8 HIRT workouts

You’ll complete two out of the three circuits in each weekly workout. Each circuit is 15 minutes long so that adds up to 30 minutes for each workout.

Monday: A/B

Wednesday: C/A

Friday: B/C

No doubt there’ll be some circuits you prefer to others, but it’s important to stick to the plan laid out for you. Often the workouts we don’t like are the ones that’re best for you.

For each workout, set a timer for 15 minutes. Plan your equipment and organize it in a small space where everything is within grasp (the last thing you want is your equipment going missing halfway through a session).

Work through each exercise in the circuit, choosing weights that are challenging for the rep range we’ve given you.

Try not to take a break, and continuously complete one exercise after the other in a circuit-style approach until the timer goes off. Then and only then can you take a 3-5 minute break before setting up for the next circuit.

Workout A:

Order ExerciseReps
A1Dumbbell deadlift6-10
A2Dumbbell overhead press6-10
A3Dumbbell step-up6-10 (each side)
A4Dumbbell renegade row6-10 (each side)
A5Incline alternate dumbbell press6-10 (each side)

Workout B:

Order ExerciseReps
A1Dumbbell thrusters6-10
A2Mountain climbers to push-up6-10 (each side)
A3Medicine ball slams6-10
A4Dumbbell alternate lunge6-10 (each side)
A5Dumbbell bent over row6-10

Workout C:

Order ExerciseReps
A1Barbell clean and press6-10
A2Barbell Romanian deadlift6-10 (each side)
A3Barbell back squat6-10
A4Barbell upright row6-10 (each side)
A5Barbell rollout6-10

We’ve taken out the HIIT workouts for phase 2, simply because they’re already integrated into your HIRT workouts. However, if you want to add them in and aren’t at risk of burning out, thrown them in… it’ll only enhance results.

8-week-workout-fat-loss-fitness


Workout tips

With this 8-week workout plan you’ve got the tools you need to completely transform the way you look and feel.

But there’s more to a great physique than simply hitting the gym and hoping for the best.

To give yourself a real opportunity to make the change you deserve, implement these hints and tips into your training and watch that fat melt faster than frozen yogurt in a sauna.

Be consistent

Patience is a virtue and consistency is king.

You can’t rush a complete body transformation… but what you can do is boost your chances of success by not skipping sessions.

Changing your behaviour is important when it comes to building a positive relationship with exercise. You need to build it into your weekly habits for it to work.

We want you to change your mentality from “can I get to the gym later?”, to “I’m off to the gym, everything else can wait!”.

Ultimately, everyone misses the odd workout from time to time. That’s real life. But the ones that smash their goals are the ones that are willing to do all they can to prioritize their body transformation as much as possible.

Support your workouts with an active lifestyle

Your 8-week workout plan is designed to not only tone up muscle but burn maximum fat too. In just one workout you’ll be racking up hundreds of calories.

But there’s a secret trick to fat burning that you might not have even considered.

Those that take every opportunity to be active are often leaner than their less inactive counterparts. Here are just a few ideas on how to up your energy expenditure:

  • Walk to work instead of driving or taking public transport
  • Dance while doing the housework
  • Park far away from the mall when shopping
  • Play with your kids and pets
  • Take up a sport
  • Make housework an exercise regime

Always warm up

Taking your body from zero to one hundred is a sure-fire way of causing injury.

A warm up is an important part of the game plan as it prepares your body for the intense exercise that’s about to take place.

General pulse raising exercises bathe your muscle cells in oxygen and help to make both muscle and connective tissue more pliable.

Mobility drills such as shoulder circles and hip rotations boost range of motion.

You don’t have to spend too long on your warm up for maximum benefits – just 5-15 minutes of light activity is enough to optimize the way you move during this 8-week workout plan.

Take a day off between workouts

While we’ve planned your workouts on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, we understand that these might not be the best days for you. Monday might be your busy office day and Fridays might be date night.

The bottom line is you can choose whichever three days suit your diary the best.

However, given the choice we suggest taking at least 24 hours rest between workouts. This allows your body to repair itself from the previous workout and adapt to the stress placed on it.

Without rest you’ll find that your strength decreases, your motivation disappears, and your goals remain a distant dream.

Don’t get complacent

The reason you’re going to the gym is to stimulate your body to make changes.

It’s important you choose weights that are challenging and push yourself fully during cardio training. What you’ll find is that as your fitness improves, so does your ability to tolerate exercise.

By week 3 for example, the weights you’re using will feel easier than in week 1.

To get the best results, it’s important you increase the intensity each week by pushing harder and lifting heavier. That way you know you’ll always improve.


The bottom line

With this 8-week workout plan you’ve got all you need to make awesome changes to your physique. All you need to bring is motivation, drive and grit to make it work.

When you’re chilling on a beach, sun glistening off your solid abs and toned body in two-months’ time, remember the time and effort you invested… and enjoy.

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