Lean, Ripped & Stripped

Lean, ripped and stripped is all about creating a desirable figure and maintaining a healthy lifestyle in various different ways.

PART 1

Workout Schedule

The most important factor in creating and maintaining an effective workout regime is to fit it around your daily chores such as work, education and regular commitments. If you are motivated to succeed in your mission to have a good body, the gym will eventually become a regular occurrence in your life, just like brushing your teeth, it will become second nature. All you need to do, is ensure you don't try to bite off more than you can chew and make your goals SMART; specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-sensitive.

Many people feel as if every time they go to gym they have to focus on one particular muscle group, such as chest, arms, abs, legs and back. However, realistically, you should be working each main muscle group twice a week. If you were to only focus on each muscle group once a week, you'd still be going to the gym five times a week but only hitting each muscle group 52 times a year. If you were to double up within a workout, for example, chest and triceps or back and biceps, you could be doubling up your workout whilst still only going to the gym five times a week. This equals a massive 104 hits a year per muscle group whilst still going to the gym the same amount of times.

Realistically, some people can not go the gym five times a week, but don't less this deter you. If you aim for three workouts a week, it should maintain and improve your figure. Don't worry if you miss a session and it's a bonus if you do any more.

The following a three work out regimes. Use which you feel is most appropriate for you.

FAT BURNING REGIME

This is a workout schedule for those that wish to lose a few pounds to get that perfect summer body.

Try to aim to workout three times a week for 45 minutes to an hour with a rest day in between each.

The types of training you will encounter will be;

Interval training; in cardio, you will work out at various different speed, differentiating from one to the other in an unorganised fashion. For example, on a treadmill, you would walk for a minute, sprint for 30 seconds, jog for a minute, then walk for 30 seconds and so on. On a cross trainer, you would increase the level and pace and drop it down in a random fashion. If on a rower, you could go at a normal pace for a minute and then complete 5-10 hard blast strides then go back to a normal pace and repeat.

Endurance; with the same intention through cardio, you will simply complete a regimental workout of a set time and speed. For example, on a treadmill, you would jog for 20 to 30 minutes at a moderate speed. On a cross trainer, it will be very similar, you would set yourself a specific resistance level and a set time and complete. Rowing is just the same in terms of time and pace.

A weekly schedule template:

Monday: 30 - 45 minutes of interval training

Tuesday: REST

Wednesday: 45 - 60 minutes of endurance training

Thursday: REST

Friday: 15 - 30 minutes of interval training and 15 - 30 minutes of endurance training

Weekend: REST

NOTE: The Friday session is followed by two full days of pure rest, therefore, it is the perfect opportunity to push yourself in both areas of cardio training.

MUSCLE TRAINING REGIME

This is a workout schedule for those that wish to either gain muscle mass or simply tone up and get ripped.

Try to aim to workout three to four times a week for 45 minutes with a rest in between each.

The types of training you will encounter will be in forms of reps and sets. Reps are the amount the amount of times you will complete the exercise and sets are the amount of the times will complete the allocated reps.

MG: Muscle gain

MT: Muscle tone

An example of one exercise per muscular group is;

ARMS: Triceps and biceps; tricep kick backs and standing bicep curl

MG: Two sets of 10-12 reps (heavier weight i.e. 80% of what you could lift.) 

MT: Three sets of 12-15 reps (lower weight i.e. 60% of what you could lift)

Stage 2

Stage 1

Stage 1

Stage 2

SHOULDERS: shoulder press

MG: Two sets of 10-12 reps (heavier weight i.e. 80% of what you could lift.) 

MT: Three sets of 12-15 reps (lower weight i.e. 60% of what you could lift)

Stage 1

Stage 2

ABS: crunches 

MG: Two sets of 15 reps

MT: Four sets of 20 reps

Stage 1

Stage 2

BACK: one arm row

MG: Two sets of 10-12 reps (heavier weight i.e. 80% of what you could lift.) 

MT: Three sets of 12-15 reps (lower weight i.e. 60% of what you could lift)

Stage 1

Stage 2

LEGS: alternate lunges

MG: Two sets of 10-12 reps each leg

MT: Four sets of 12-15 reps each leg

Stage 1

Stage 2

A weekly schedule template would be;

MONDAY: Back, triceps and abs

TUESDAY: Rest

WEDNESDAY: Chest, biceps and abs

THURSDAY:  Rest

FRIDAY: Legs, shoulders and abs

WEEKEND:  Rest

NOTE:

Again with such a good break over the weekend, the body needs to be worked out well throughout the week. This will begin to allow the body to reproduce muscle fibres, which will leave your muscles in good stead for the week ahead.

THE BEST OF BOTH REGIME

This is a workout schedule for those who wish to tone up their entire body and maintain good fitness levels all in one work out. 

This regime will include both of the above exercise training types; cardio and muscular including interval training, endurance training and muscular tone.

It is important in this workout to have a cardio start and a muscular finish.

Try to aim to workout four times a week for roughly an hour each with a rest day in-between every workout.

MONDAY: 10 minutes interval training, 15 minutes endurance training, 30 minutes muscular training (chest, biceps and abs)

TUESDAY: Rest

WEDNESDAY: 15 minutes interval training, 10 minutes endurance training, 30 minutes muscular training (back, triceps and abs)

THURSDAY: Rest

FRIDAY: 20 minutes interval training, 20 minutes endurance training, 20 minutes muscular training (legs, shoulders and abs)

WEEKEND: Rest

NOTE:

Again with such a good break over the weekend, the body needs to be worked out well throughout the week. This will begin to allow the body to reproduce muscle fibres, which will leave your muscles in good stead for the week ahead.

To be continued…

The above article was written using the expertise and understandings of a young man, in an average life with an extraordinary goal.

Alex Gard is a 21-year-old fitness fanatic who is currently training to make it big in the field of physique modelling. Currently working within the fitness industry as a one-to-one trainer, Alex is dedicating a large majority of his life to achieve his goal through learning and training.