Okay, time to get started with the training!

This will be a short and intense workout cycle. After all, there’s only about six weeks to prepare – so we’ll be working hard and fast to get ready for your big night out.

On this programme we focus on the important stuff. Ladies I see in the gym tends to concentrate hard on little things: tricep kickbacks, those stupid abductor/adductor machines.

This post is a bit backwards, so read on and follow what I consider to be the template for training in the gym to look (and perform) good.

Establishing your 1 rep max: with my clients we usually take a set of an exercise to failure to calculate our 1 rep max. Basically you perform 8 to 10 reps of an exercise and that’s it. Your arms refuse to lift, your legs can’t take the weight. You have worked to failure. Plug the numbers into this website to get your 1RM. Calculate this for all the main exercises we present in this programme.

http://www.allthingsgym.com/rep-max-calculator/

Equipment: Anything! You can use a barbell, kettlebells or dumbbells. Whatever you can use. Also keep an exercise band handy.

This week’s programme comprises of:

Warmup
Overhead squats, mountain climbers and shoulder corkscrews.

Romanian Deadlifts (RDL)

This is hands down one of the best exercises for developing your glutes and hamstrings. So if you’re after that internet melting posterior, add these to your workout.

Static lunges
Lunges are also one of my favourite exercises for glutes and hams. I prefer them for my female clients as barbell squats. Although phenomenally effective, may make your thighs bigger. This is not something women usually want, so I rarely programme squats if we’re training for a slender looking physique.

Landmine barbell press

The Landmine press works the upper back and shoulders, and most importantly for some, usually causes no shoulder pain compared to direct overhead presses. Pair them with face pulls for a total shoulder workout. If you need to give the bar a little boost at the start, bend the knees a touch and push with the legs on the first rep.

Face pulls.

Face pulls complement all sorts of pressing exercises by working your upper back and rear delts. These are fantastic for fixing poor posture and is essential if you have a desk job. You’ll stand taller, you’ll feel more confident and you’ll look fantastic.

Stir the pot.

My go-to exercise for training the core. This is the proper way to use a swiss ball for getting a flat belly 😉

Do the exercises in order and to the following template:

• Warmup – 3 sets x 30sec each exercise, 30sec rest between the sets but no rest between the exercises!
• RDL’s – 3 sets of 5 at 65% of your 1 rep max
• Static lunges. 3 sets of 10 at 40% of your 1 rep max
• Landmine press and squat. 3 sets of 5 at 65% of your 1 rep max
• Face pulls. As many reps as possible on a reasonably challenging weight setting allowing to keep technique x 2 sets.
• Stir the pot. Aim for continuous stirring for 2 sets, 30 seconds. The slower you go, the more challenging this becomes.

Finish off with 10 minutes of your favourite form of cardio. I favour kettlebells and battle ropes but anything to build up a good sweat is good. Stretch your hip flexors and you’re done!

Stick to the same template for a minimum of two sessions a week and optimally three.